Silk Road was a very old matrix of trade routes that connected the East and West. It was a centre of exchange of cultural ideas and practiced between the regions and religions. The Silk Road passed through Asia from China to Rome and was established during the Han Dynasty (206 BC – 220 AD). Rome had gold and silver in high amount for trade, along with precious gems; another end China had silk and spices and ivory; Each had something the other wanted.
Ideas also travelled along the Silk Road trade that affected everyone. The Silk Road has got its name from the lucrative trade in silk which was carried from one corner of the world to another in beginning in the Han dynasty. Trade on the Road played a major role in the development of many civilizations of countries that came in the way- China, Korea, Japan, India, Iran, Afghanistan, Europe, the Horn of Africa and Arabia, opening long-distance political and economic relations between the civilizations across borders. Though silk was the major trade item exported from China, there was trade of other goods as well along the route, as well as religions, philosophical ideologies, sciences, and technologies.
Diseases , most dominantly plague, were also spread along the Silk Road. In addition to economic trade, the Silk Road was a route for cultural trade among the civilizations along its network. Because silk was the major trade product which travelled on this road, it was named the Silk Road in 1877 by Ferdinand von Richthofen – a well-known German geographer. This ancient route, along with goods, ideas, technological advancements, also exchanged the marvellous cultures of China, India, Persia, Arabia, Greek and Rome.
In history, many distinguished and acclaimed people left their traces on the most historically important trade route, including important diplomats, generals and great monks. They crossed desolate deserts and the Gobi, passed murderous prairies and went over the freezing Pamirs to finish theirs missions or realize their beliefs.
