- The arts of West and Central Asia play a key role in the history of world art, giving form to the vast cultural interchanges that have occurred in these lands that link the European and Asian peoples
- The religious arts of West and Central Asia are united by the traditions of the region: Buddhism and Islam
- Use of figural art in religious contexts varies among traditions, whereas figural art is common in secular art forms across West and Central Asia
- Artists of West and Central Asia excelled in the creation of particular art forms exhibiting key characteristics unique to their regions and cultures. Important forms include ceramics, metalwork, textiles, painting, and calligraphy