SteeMagazine History >> The Silk Road

It is hard to put the magnificence of such a term in one article, therefore I shall be satisfied with providing you a general review. The Silk Road is an ancient trade route, or rather a network of routes, which led from Europe to China (or vice versa if you like it better). It was established, as the name suggests, as the main route for trading silk that was at the time one of China's most important and valuable export products. The Silk Road was established even before Christ and was the main (land) route connecting the extremes of the Old Continents. It lost its significance in the middle of the 15th century, due to, of course, newly established oversea routes discovered by Bartholomeo Diaz and Vasco da Gama. Though it lost its importance, the route never ceased to exist. In fact, today, you could follow its traces should you in any case wish to do so (neglecting all the problems the Middle East is currently going through).

Anyway, back to the route! Since the Chinese hurried in discovering things quite a lot, they were of great importance to the Europeans. There was before all silk, but also porcelain, exotic spices and much more to be traded. However, China was not the only country involved in trade, many other countries prospered a great deal from this road. We must not forget India, Persian Empires (of which the Silk Road saw a few), the Arab World and Turkey. I like to imagine the Silk Road as a great oasis of prosperity flourishing in the middle of the hostile Asian droughts. Markets all over the Central Asia, big and small, caravans traveling days and nights, cheerful yelling, haggling over a handful of turmeric or coriander. Or think about the city od Samarkand in Uzbekistan! Magnificent work of the Timurides. The beautiful Registan Square flourishing under the strict hand of Tamerlane's kin. We must not forget to mention Marco Polo, a Venetian trader most often brought in connection with the Silk road. He also wrote a lot about China.

In conclusion I would say that the Silk Road was a one-of-a-kind world market. A kind of world wide web before today's one. A place where everyone could prosper. I may be wrong, and if so, then let me be wrong as long as I got you interested in this amazing bit of history.

A map depiction of the Silk Road

Registan square - a beautiful proof of prosperity of the Silk road

The Silk Road - bringing you spices before ships were cool