The Silk Road
A network of overland and sea routes that linked China with Central Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Europe.
- Main period
- 2nd century BCE to 15th century CE
- Goods
- Silk, spices, paper, horses, glass, ideas
Routes
Caravans crossed deserts and mountains in stages, while maritime routes linked Chinese ports with India, Arabia and the East African coast.
More than trade
Religions, technologies such as papermaking, and diseases travelled the same routes as merchants.