Question

Explain with an example how have silk routes linked the world

Answer 1

(i) The most well known silk route connected China to Europe. West bound Chinese silk cargoes travelled on this route. Chinese pottery also travelled through this route.
(ii) Historians have identified several silk routes over land and sea knitting together vast regions of Asia, linking Asia with North Africa. These resulted in vibrant pre-modern trade. Through this route Chinese pottery, Indian textiles and spices from South East Asia travelled to Europe and North Africa.
(iii) Trade and cultural exchanges went hand in hand. Early Christian missionaries and later the Muslim preachers travelled by these routes. Buddhist missionaries went from India to China and Chinese Buddhist travellers came to India using the silk route.