Sweeping right across central asia and deep into china and india, a region. It was one of the most important trade routes during this time. Trade between east and west naturally altered in scope or pace every time there was a significant new idea or a change of power within one of the nations along the route. To fi nd out more about our authors and books visit here you will fi nd extracts, author interviews, details of forthcoming events and. How ordinary people used contracts, 6001400, changing gods in medieval china, 11271276, and, with kenneth r. The 4,600mile silk road was the worlds most celebrated trade route in human history, spanning from ad 600 to 1200. A history of the great trading routes between east. This network of exchange emerged along the borders between agricultural china and the steppe nomads during the han dynasty 206bce220ce, in consequence of the interdependence and the conflicts of these two distinctive societies. The environmental impact of the silk trade is also intelligently explored he.
It connected people from different continents, and it shaped the lives of people. The silk roads flourishing time was during the sasanian era. The silk road, a series of ancient trade routes stretching across central asia to europe, evokes exotic images of camel trains laden with bales of fine chinese silk, spices, and perfume, of desert oases surrounded by snowcapped mountains, of bustling markets thronging with travellers buying and selling grapes, coriander, baltic amber, and mediterranean coral. Books to read about the silk road guide for seniors odyssey. The silk roads is part of the genre of popular history books that purports to tell the history of the world through one particular theme or from one particular vantage point, and is better than most of them. The spice routes, also known as maritime silk roads, is the name given to the network of sea routes that link the east with the west. China also received nestorian christianity and buddhism from india via the silk road. But the routes between china and the mediterranean sea, which run. Silk import resulted in the exchange of iranian products which led to iranian exports. As yale historian valerie hansen explains in her book the silk road. Maritime silk routes the story of the oldest trade routes.
Trade, travel, war and faith is the best book of its kind ive ever seen. The silk road was the contemporary name for a complex of ancient trade routes linking east asia. A new history, most people living along the route would have called it the road to the next city. Discover more about our holidays to central asia, a region once very much at the heart of the ancient silk road. A new history of the world and millions of other books are available for instant access. Valuable spices, tea, asian artworks and silk headed west to waiting merchants in the middle east and europe. A concise narrative that describes the history, or more exactly the development of a key international trade route that became known as the silk route, an enjoyable short history. It wasnt a single road but a network of commercial routes that once. Youve probably heard of the silk road, the ancient trade route that once ran between china and the west during the days of the roman empire. Enter your mobile number or email address below and well send you a link to download the free kindle app. If you are planning to use this as part of a visit to. The eastwest trade routes between greece and china began to open during the first and second centuries b.
In ancient times, the trade of different countries had been boomed through the silk road. The silk road began as a trade route in the han dynasty of 207 bc, expanded further in 114 bc, and was. The impact of the silk road trade on a local community. It looks like a coffeetable book, with a lot of fascinating pictures of silk road manuscripts, artifacts, archaeological sites, and landscapes, but unlike most coffee table books the text is meaty and uptodate. To find out more about valerie hansen and the silk road. The silk road took its name from chinas most successful exportsilk.
The silk route is so named because of the popularity of. The silk road is an ancient trade route that connects china to the west. When was the golden age of the silk road and when did it decline. Frankopans new silk road is often less an account of whats happening in the heartland itself than it is a chronicle of the latest. Peter frankopan is a trained historian, and so knows how to synthesise a great deal of information from cultures across asia and europe. This is an excellent book which takes a different perspective on history than the usual run of history books. Valerie hansen is professor of history at yale university.
Scores of history books recorded that the silk road was a network of trade routes connecting the east and the west in ancient and medieval times. The silk road was the contemporary name for a complex of ancient trade routes linking east asia with central. The ancient silk road and the birth of merchant capitalism. Making their way across the silk road, these amber, brown, and green leadglazed wares served as inspiration to craftsmen in iran, and a nearby bowl highlights a 10thcentury copy of this style above, top right, made in nishapur and known as splash ware. The route was named for the profitable trade in chinese silk which took place along much of. Silk road, also called silk route, ancient trade route, linking china with the west, that carried goods and ideas between the two great civilizations of rome and china. The term is used for both overland routes and those that are marine.
China also received nestorian christianity and buddhism from india via. The silk road is as iconic in world history as the colossus of rhodes or the. It covers the history and culture of the silk road in the widest sense and brings in the contacts and influences withfrom india, persia and the mediterranean. History of ancient silk road trade routes timeline facts. The book barely touches upon the cultural, religious, and even political history of the silk road and its heartland, central asia. They stretch from the west coast of japan, through the islands of indonesia, around india to the lands of the middle east and from there, across the mediterranean to europe. In this lesson, students will learn about the silk road and compare it with global exchanges that are occurring today. This is strictly a economic history of the silk road as a trade system. While all efforts have been made to present an accurate account of the status of the silk road in the countries covered, some part of the information provided and the analyses thereof are those of the contributors, and does not imply the expression of any opinion on the part of unesco concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the. The silk road was the contemporary name for a complex of ancient trade routes linking east asia with central asia, south asia, and the mediterranean world. The silk road was a network of trade routes connecting china and the far east with the middle east and europe. Traversing snowy mountain passes, vast, forbidding. It looks at world history from the perspective of the lands along the silk roads the trading routes which brought silk from china to europe, and gold and silver in the other direction.
The silk road may have formally opened up trade between the far east and europe during the han dynasty, which ruled china from 206 b. Groups of camels, called caravans, traveled west across the rest of asia, carrying chinese silk and other goods, including spices, tea, porcelain, and lacquered goods. The silk roads of the title are the arteries along which people, goods, ideas. Revisiting the history of the silk road and the roman route. Gold, medical manuscripts, astronomical tomes and porcelain headed east to asia. The silk route or silk road refers to a network of ancient trade routes connecting asia, europe and africa. The silk road was an ancient network of trade routes, formally established during the han dynasty of china, which linked the regions of the ancient world in commerce between bce1453 ce. Extending more than 6,500 kms, the silk route was majorly used to transport chinese silk to europe through central asia from 2nd century bc. The region of the silk roads is obscure to many in the englishspeaking world. The unc carolina asia center and dukeunc consortium for middle east studies outreach programs.
Because of that, this book gets rather dull and selective at times. Silk went westward, and wools, gold, and silver went east. A new history of the world by peter frankopan, empires of the silk. The silk road is arguably the most famous longdistance trade route in the ancient world. Tracing the development of ceramics along the silk road. Take an intrepid journey through the history of the silk roads with this visually stunning reference book. With lavish illustrations and a highly informative text, the silk route traces the early history of the silk tradefrom the mulberry groves of china to the marketplace in byzantiumand explores how two of the worlds greatest empires were brought together, forever opening the channels of. Caravans loaded with silk often travelled through this. The silk roads is part of the genre of popular history books that purports to tell the. For centuries it has played an important role as a crosspoint for civilisations. As a result of the mongol empire, international mongol trade was born on a level never seen before.
This event marks the first reference to petra in recorded history. A captivating guide to the ancient network of trade routes established during the han dynasty of china and how it connected the east and west. Arts and humanities world history 600 bce 600 ce secondwave civilizations transregional trade. A historic trade route used from the second century bc through 14th century ad that went from china to the mediterranean. The best books on the silk road, recommended by yale historian valerie hansen, the foremost expert on the subject and author of the silk road. Frankopan shows that even in ancient times trade and culture bound distant people. The silk road is the most important trade route in history. Then you can start reading kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer no kindle device required.
The history and legacy of the trade routes that connected. A traditional sheepskin coat blows in the wind in turtkul, uzbekistan, on a highway that follows the ancient silk road. Silk road, ancient trade route, linking china with the west, that carried goods and ideas between the two great civilizations of rome and china. In particular, an important trade route opened up between china and the west. A history of china to 1600, negotiating daily life in traditional china. Silk road activity cyrus tang hall of china silk road activity is the silk road an example of globalization. The history of silk route goes back to 15 th century when chinese first constructed the silk road. History of the silk road essay example 969 words bartleby. Not only the most important history book written in years years. Silk, however, was the most celebrated commodity that was transferred along this route, traveling.
Educator page 1 of 7 activity description students will explore the silk road trade networks through museum resources and a reenactment of exchange along the route. An ambitious persiancentric rewrite of world history is full of insight but let. The silk road in world history 9780195338102 boeken. The 4,000mile trade route began to take shape during chinas han dynasty 207220bce and existed in its historic form until the 1400s.
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