A network of historic commercial routes, officially formed during the Han Dynasty of China, between 130 BCE and 1453 CE, was known as the Silk Road. Since there was not a single path that led from East to West along the Silk Road, historians prefer the designation “Silk Routes,” even if “Silk Road” is the term that is most widely used.
However, Marco Polo (l.1254-1324 CE) went on these roads and detailed them in his renowned book, but he is not given credit for their names. ‘Seidenstrasse’ (silk road) and ‘Seidenstrassen,’ German geographer and explorer Ferdinand von Richthofen’s terminology for this network of roadways, were first used in 1877 CE (silk routes). Goods moved via the Silk Road are mentioned by both Polo and subsequently by von Richthofen. Even though the Silk Road hasn’t been utilized for international trade in almost 600 years, its influence on economics, culture, and history continues to reverberate to this very day.
What Was the Origin of The Silk Road?
China’s ruler sent Zhang Qian to Central Asia in 138 BC in an attempt to establish contact with a tribe. A few years after Zhang’s arrival, he was released from captivity and returned to China, where he recounted his adventures, including meeting gorgeous Arabian horses.
The Chinese government was eager to get these horses, and as a result, commerce with Central Asia over large distances started. Alexander the Great’s conquests in the 4th century B.C. brought central Asia into touch with European cultures from the West, first bringing them as far as India. Roman rule eventually established itself as the dominant force, and the burgeoning Silk Road served as a link between East and West, passing via Central Asia as well as the Middle East on its way to do so.
What Is the Significance Of The Name “Silk Road”?
Silk was a major commodity traded along the route. For a long period of time, the Chinese were the only ones who could generate Silk from silkworms, which they learned how to do around the third millennium B.C. One of China’s principal exports and the money they used to pay for the items they needed, it was highly desired by other civilizations, particularly Ancient Rome
The name “Silk Road” is a little bit of a misnomer, though, because the network was used for trading a lot more than just Silk. It was also used to change textiles, spices, precious metals, and furs, among other things.
How Were These Objects Transported Over the Silk Road?
Few individuals would have walked the entire length of the Silk Road, which was around 4,000 miles long. There were a lot of merchants that transported the commodities, which had been traded several times. A large number of merchants rode in convoys, sometimes numbering in the hundreds, on camels, horses, or even on foot. As maritime Silk Roads evolved, several products were also transported by water.