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The
Silk Road, or Silk Route, is an interconnected series of ancient trade
routes through various regions of the Asian continent mainly connecting
Chang'an (today's Xi'an) in China, with Asia Minor and the Mediterranean.
It extends over 8,000 km (5,000 miles) on land and sea. Trade on the
Silk Road was a significant factor in the development of the great civilizations
of China, Egypt, Mesopotamia, Persia, Indian subcontinent, and Rome,
and helped to lay the foundations for the modern world.
The Great Silk Road is the
trading caravan way from China to the capital of Rome empire. It connects
two very contrasting worlds - East and West: the two cultures of Asia
and Europe. Existed from the 2nd century B.C. till the 16th century
A.D. the total length of the route was about 7,000 km.
Its name comes from the
first item of transit trade - Chinese silk, later beside silk, appeared
other goods: jewellery, glass, iron etc. Silk Road has had a unique
role in foreign trade and political relations, stretching far beyond
the bounds of Asia itself. It has left its mark on the development of
civilisations on both sides of the continent.
The main route of the Great
Silk Road went through the territories of China, basin of Tarim, Over
Pamir and Tien-Shan mountains, Central Asia, Afghanistan, Iran, along
the eastern shore of Mediterranean and farther to the main trade centres
of Near East, North Africa and Europe. The Great Silk Road played a
vital role in lifestyle of many nations of Eurasia. It was an important
artery in ancient and middle aged time, the source of trade and information,
cause of many conflicts and wars. Along the route appeared, reached
the golden ages and die many nations and cultures, trade centres and
many capitals of world empires.
The ancient Silk Road in
Xinjiang traversed desolate desert areas and wound over snow-capped
peaks. It was full of difficulties and obstacles and more dangerous
and fascinating than other sections of the road. It was the only way
for China to get in touch with the West between the second century B.C.
and the 10th century A.D. Various ancient cultures of the West and East,
including some lost cultures, have left traces of themselves in Xinjiang.
Although sections of the Silk Road have been buried by sand in deserts,
the local dry climate has miraculously preserved sites and relics several
thousand years old. Some relics are as good as they were centuries ago.
The three routes of the
Silk Road ran between mountain ranges and long edges of deserts, going
through oases inhabited by ancient tribes. These tribes also opened
some branch roads across mountain passes to join the three routes together.
Many caravan routes on the
Great Silk Road were changed by time, and only the main directions from
the East to the West and back were kept originally.Caravan traffic was
very slow, in good day the caravan consisted from 100 to 10 thousand
camels covered 8 farsah (50 km), in nasty days - 4 forsah (25 km). Along
the route the one could take a rest in Caravanserais.
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