"The Silk Road (Chinese: 絲綢之路) was a network of Eurasian trade routes active from the second century BCE until the mid-15th century."
- A trade route connecting the East and West that facilitated the exchange of goods, ideas, and cultures between Asia and Europe.
Ancient Trade Routes: An exploration of the early routes that connected East and West Asia.
Han Dynasty: A look at the Chinese empire that kickstarted the Silk Road.
Roman Empire: How the Romans played a crucial role in the Silk Road.
Buddhism: The religion that spread along the Silk Road trade routes.
Tang Dynasty: The golden age of Chinese culture and trade.
Merchant Guilds: The organizations that facilitated Silk Road trade.
Paper Making: How the invention of paper impacted the Silk Road trade.
Islamic Golden Age: The period when the Muslim world played a significant role in the Silk Road trade.
Ming Dynasty: The final era of the Silk Road.
Caravanserais: Accommodations for Silk Road travelers.
Silk Road Artifacts: The items that were traded along the Silk Road.
Silk Road Cities: The most important cities along the Silk Road.
Marco Polo: An exploration of his Silk Road travels and influence.
Indian Ocean Trade Network: How the Silk Road interacted with other trade routes.
Silk Road Decline: The factors that contributed to the eventual end of the Silk Road.
Land Silk Road: Land Silk Road is the oldest and most famous trade route that connected the East and the West through the Eurasian continent from China to Europe.
Maritime Silk Road: Maritime Silk Road was a network of sea routes that passed through the South China Sea, Indian Ocean, and the Mediterranean Sea, connecting East Asia, South Asia, and Europe.
North Silk Road: North Silk Road was a trade route that passed through the northern regions of Asia, including Mongolia, Russia, and Siberia, mainly used for the transportation of furs, leather, and livestock.
South Silk Road: South Silk Road was a trade route that passed through the southern regions of Asia, including Vietnam, Myanmar, Thailand, and India, mainly used for the transportation of spices, herbal medicines, and textiles.
Tea Horse Road: Tea Horse Road was a trade route that emerged during the Tang Dynasty and connected the tea-growing region of Yunnan with Tibet and Sichuan, mainly used for the transportation of tea, horses, and salt.
Persian Silk Road: Persian Silk Road was a trade route that connected the Middle East, Central Asia, and China through Iran, Iraq, and Afghanistan, mainly used for the transportation of silk, spices, and precious stones.
Silk Route of the Khans: Silk Route of the Khans was a trade route that emerged during the Mongol Empire and connected China with Europe and the Middle East, mainly used for the transportation of silk, wool, and spices.
Incense Route: Incense Route was a trade route that passed through the Arabian Peninsula, connecting South Arabia with Egypt, Ethiopia, and India, mainly used for the transportation of frankincense and myrrh.
Amber Road: Amber Road was a trade route that passed through the Baltic region of Europe, mainly used for the transportation of amber, furs, and timber.
Spice Route: Spice Route was a trade route that connected Europe with India, China, and Southeast Asia, mainly used for the transportation of spices, herbs, and precious stones.
"Spanning over 6,400 kilometers (4,000 miles)..."
"...it played a central role in facilitating economic, cultural, political, and religious interactions between the East and West."
"The name 'Silk Road', first coined in the late 19th century, has fallen into disuse among some modern historians in favor of Silk Routes..."
"Chinese silk textiles... tea, dyes, perfumes, porcelain... horses, camels, honey, wine, and gold."
"The network began with the Han dynasty's expansion into Central Asia around 114 BCE... The Parthian Empire provided a bridge to East Africa and the Mediterranean."
"By the early first century CE, Chinese silk was widely sought-after in Rome, Egypt, and Greece."
"Aside from generating substantial wealth for emerging mercantile classes, the proliferation of goods such as paper and gunpowder greatly altered the trajectory of various realms, if not world history."
"Travelers faced constant threats of banditry and nomadic raiders, and long expanses of inhospitable terrain."
"Few individuals crossed the entirety of the Silk Road, instead relying on a succession of middlemen based at various stopping points along the way."
"In addition to goods, the network facilitated an unprecedented exchange of ideas, religions (especially Buddhism), philosophies, and scientific discoveries..."
"Diseases such as plague also spread along the Silk Road, possibly contributing to the Black Death."
"...the Silk Road abruptly lost its importance with the rise of the Ottoman Empire in 1453, which almost immediately severed trade between East and West."
"This prompted European efforts to seek alternative routes to Eastern riches, thereby ushering the Age of Discovery, European colonialism, and a more intensified process of globalization..."
"...the name 'New Silk Road' is used to describe several large infrastructure projects along many of the historic trade routes; among the best known include the Eurasian Land Bridge and the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)."
"In June 2014, UNESCO designated the Chang'an-Tianshan corridor of the Silk Road as a World Heritage Site..." Study question 17: Which portion of the Silk Road remains on the tentative site list? "While the Indian portion remains on the tentative site list."
"[The Silk Road] endured the rise and fall of numerous empires and major events such as the Black Death and the Mongol conquests."
"...on the grounds that it more accurately describes the intricate web of land and sea routes connecting Central, East, South, and Southeast Asia, the Middle East, East Africa, and Southern Europe."
"During its roughly 1,500 years of existence, the Silk Road..."