Where is silk road located
Commodities such as paper and gunpowder, both invented by the Chinese during the Han Dynasty, had obvious and lasting impacts on culture and history in the West. They were also among the most-traded items between the East and West. Paper was invented in China during the 3rd century B. In addition, the rich spices of the East quickly became popular in the West, and changed cuisine across much of Europe. The origins of gunpowder are less well known, although there are references to fireworks and firearms in China as early as the s.
Historians believe that gunpowder was indeed exported along the Silk Road routes to Europe, where it was further refined for use in cannons in England, France and elsewhere in the s. The nation-states with access to it had obvious advantages in war, and thus the export of gunpowder had an enormous impact on the political history of Europe. The Silk Road routes also opened up means of passage for explorers seeking to better understand the culture and geography of the Far East.
Venetian explorer Marco Polo famously used the Silk Road to travel from Italy to China, which was then under the control of the Mongolian Empire, where they arrived in Notably, they did not travel by boat, but rather by camel following overland routes.
They arrived at Xanadu, the lavish summer palace of the Mongolian emperor Kublai Khan. His journeys across the Silk Road became the basis for his book, "The Travels of Marco Polo," which gave Europeans a better understanding of Asian commerce and culture. Silk Road: Ancient History Encyclopedia. List of Rulers of Ancient Greece. Trade between the Romans and the Empires of Asia.
At any time, you can update your settings through the "EU Privacy" link at the bottom of any page. These choices will be signaled globally to our partners and will not affect browsing data. We and our partners process data to: Actively scan device characteristics for identification. I Accept Show Purposes. Your Money. Personal Finance. Your Practice.
Popular Courses. Economy Economics. What Is the Silk Route? Compare Accounts. The offers that appear in this table are from partnerships from which Investopedia receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where listings appear. Investopedia does not include all offers available in the marketplace. Crude Oil Definition Crude oil is a naturally occurring, unrefined petroleum product composed of hydrocarbon deposits and other organic materials.
Understanding the Bond Market The bond market is the collective name given to all trades and issues of debt securities. But while promising, the scheme has its limitations. I accept. What you need to know. East to west Take action on UpLink. Forum in focus. Global Alliance speeds up international trade — unlocking investment and growth benefits. Read more about this project.
Explore context. Explore the latest strategic trends, research and analysis. This article is part of the Annual Meeting of the New Champions.
Image: Lowy Institute. The Silk Road has connected far-flung peoples and civilizations throughout the world for hundreds of years. Some of those ancient pathways are getting a modern makeover.
Join our community of educators and receive the latest information on National Geographic's resources for you and your students. Skip to content. Photograph by Mekdet. Twitter Facebook Pinterest Google Classroom. Encyclopedic Entry Vocabulary. Age of Exploration. Black Death. Media Credits The audio, illustrations, photos, and videos are credited beneath the media asset, except for promotional images, which generally link to another page that contains the media credit.
Media If a media asset is downloadable, a download button appears in the corner of the media viewer. Text Text on this page is printable and can be used according to our Terms of Service. Interactives Any interactives on this page can only be played while you are visiting our website.
Related Resources. Silk Road. View Collection. The Silk Roads.