Silk Road 

Introduction:

Silk road was the first global trade route in history. It didn't just serve as a route to exchange goods, it was far greater than that. It connected people enabled them to exchange ideas, share culture, art, language and religion. It connected Western world to the Middle East and Asia. It was a major trade route between the Roman empire and China and later between medieval European empires and China. Silk road was established when the Han Dynasty in China officially opened trade with the West in 130 B.C., the Silk Road routes remained in use until A.D. 1453, when the Ottoman Empire boycotted trade with China and closed them. In this blog I will share with you why is it called Silk Road? The usage of silk road by the travelers and traders and famous traveler of silk road, Marco Polo.

Why Is It Called Silk Road?

Silk is not a single route but rather network of many routes. German traveler and geographer ,Ferdinand Von Richthofen, used the term silk road for the first time to describe the popular travel pathways between Europe and East Asia. Silk road is also used as a metaphor to describe the exchange of goods and ideas between different cultures as for more than 1500 years traders and travelers used these pathways. Some historians prefer to use the term silk routes instead of silk road as it reflects better many pathways that the traders and travelers used.

The Usage Of Silk Road:

Middlemen and trading post were common along the pathways of silk road. There were very few people who travelled the entire route. The silk road terrains were harsh and inhospitable. The landscape included mountains, rivers, valleys, highlands, plains, deserts and oases. The roads were in poor conditions and robberies were common. People travelled with caravans to protect themselves. Merchants from China carried silk to the royal and wealthy ones in Europe. Other common goods included precious stones, porcelain, tea and spices. They bought horses, glassware, textiles and other manufactured goods from Europe and took them to China.

Marco Polo:

Born in a wealthy family, in Venice, Italy, Marco Polo is one of the most famous travelers of Silk Road. Marco Polo was an explorer, writer and a merchant. He is best known for his book, The travel of Marco Polo. At the age of 17, he arrived at Kublai Khan’s palace at Xanadu in 1275 C.E. He travelled with his father and uncle, it took them three years to get there. He was sent on a mission by Kublai Khan. He was assigned to administer the empire. Polo was aboard for 24years. Although he was not the first European to travel to China, other Europeans included his father and uncle have travelled on those paths before but his book made him one of the most famous European traveler of silk road.