The Mysterious Ancient Silk Road

From an ancient Chinese proverb, “To get to Rome, you must go through Constantinople,” the Silk Road was an intercontinental trade route connecting the Eastern and Western worlds. The original Silk Road was an established pathway of communication and trade between the Asian continent, the Middle East, North Africa, and Europe that generated the cultural exchange of information, technology, philosophy, and the arts for centuries.

Origins of the Silk Road

In general, the origins of the Silk Road are believed to have begun with China’s first emperor, Qin Shi Huang, in the early second century B.C. The route began in Asian countries, like China and India, and gradually spread to other involved countries, like Iran and even Africa. It was extensive and dispersed, stretching from eastern China to Alexandria, running for thousands of miles. Development of the Silk Road route really began to pick up in the first century A.D. and the route was used heavily over the next few centuries.

The Function of the Silk Road

The Silk Road served more than one function. It was an integral part of intra-continental commerce, uniting countries, peoples, and their cultures. As was mentioned before, the route ran to many countries, like China, India, Persia, and Arabia, allowing goods, ideas and knowledge to be shared. As a result, further and farther away trade routes were initiated, making it possible for countries to communicate and transfer goods/services. Merchants and traders used the Silk Road to transport valuable items, like silk, spices, and jewellery. Diseases, religions and cultures were spread along the route as a result of this long funnel of communication.

The Decline of the Silk Road

The Silk Road’s golden age ended during the Mongolian conquest of China. As the Mongols were introduced to new ideas, their own ideology and practices were spread along the same path, which eventually lead to a decline in the practice of the Silk Road. As a result, the trading, which had once been a dominant practice, completely stopped by the beginning of the 16th century.

Though the Silk Road is ancient history, it is still remembered as one of the significant pathways of communication, and its influence can still be seen in modern times. Its legacy lives on today, evidenced in both the archaeological relics that remain, and the idea of interconnectedness the route inspired. The Silk Road had a profound effect on world culture and trade, demonstrating how countries of distant lands can exercise the power of communication and commerce for their mutual benefit, even at such a great distance. Whether you look at it from an historical perspective or from today’s traded markets and communication methods, the effect of the Silk Road on the world is still felt today.