Research Topic - Everyday Bactria

In a previous post, you might remember that I was amused with the sales receipts present in the Bactrian Documents.  Such a seemingly insignificant piece of parchment has extremely interesting and wonderful information about the daily lives of Bactrians, namely what sorts of goods were purchased and consumed by everyday people.  These receipts bring the past home in a very personal, almost charming way, demonstrating that their habits of consumption and lifestyle were not so different than our own modern consumption patterns.  With an eye to patterns of trade and consumption, I will endeavor to paint a picture of everyday life from the source material in the Bactrian Documents.  Here's some preliminary questions that I will strive to address, keeping in mind this is an evolving project and, as such, more questions will undoubtedly arise while I am conducting my research:

- Goods traded within Bactria are well known and listed in primary sources, but who was using these sources?  Was it the common people or those in higher stations within society?

- Types of goods exchanged for a marriage.  What was highly valued?

- Time period to be surveyed shall be that of the time period covered by the Bactrian Documents, roughly the Kushan Era, Hephtahlites, Sasanians, and a tiny smidge of the Arab Conquest.

This is no small task, and I realize the road from construction of a research article to actual publication is a very, very long one, but I will document it here for those who might be interested to follow my progress.  Join me as I heap loads of work upon myself for no real reason other than to seek information and research an area of interest that is near and dear to my heart.