Trade Networks In The Pre

Trade Networks in the Pre-Classical & Classical Era  The Silk Road  From Cathy to Daqin  first trade routes to join the Eastern and the Western worlds  not only conduits for silk, but also for many other products  4,000 miles long  very few who traveled the route traversed it from end to end  goods were transported by a series of agents on varying routes and were traded in the bustling mercantile markets of the oasis towns  Goods Traded Along the Silk Road  slaves  Silk  satins  other fine fabrics  Musk  other perfumes  spices  medicines  jewels  glassware  Rhubarb  the spread of knowledge  ideas  Cultures  diseases  Roman/Han Trade  Intercontinental trade and communication became regular, organized, and protected  Roman & Han traded through intermediaries, but appear to be aware of each other  first Roman envoy arrived in China by maritime route in 166 CE  Silk was in high demand in Rome  importation of Chinese silk caused a huge outflow of gold  silk clothes were considered to be decadent and immoral  Cities Along the Silk Road  From Istanbul, Turkey to Yazd, Iran:

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 Constantinople (now Istanbul), Turkey  Damascus, Syria  Baghdad, Iraq  Tehran, Iran  Yazd, Iran From Yazd, Iran to Turpan,  Ürümqi, China From Yazd, Iran to Kashi,  Kabul, Afghanistan  Mumbai, India The northern route  Li Jien (possibly Roman settlement)  Turpan or Turfan, China The southern route  Anxi, China From Anxi, China to Xi'an, China:  Xi'an (ancient name is Chang'an), China Korea  Pyongyang, Korea Japan  Nara

 The Saharan Trade Route  Trade Across the Desert  between Mediterranean countries and sub-Saharan Africa  used from as early as the Old Kingdom Egypt  Later, Romans would protect the route:  lining it with varied forts and small outposts  contact with the Mediterranean received added incentive with the growth of the port city of Carthage  conducted by caravans of camels  Allowed Berber people travel across the desert  trade routes did not develop until the beginnings of the Islamic  What They Carried & Where  What?  Slaves  Gold  Ivory  Spices  Wheat  animals  plants

 Where?  Western Route  from the Niger River at Gao  north to Ghat and Ghadames  terminating at Tripoli  Eastern Route  passing through Kharga  Asyut  and the Sudan

 Indian Ocean Trade  Connecting China with India  led from the mouth of the Red River  (near modern Hanoi)  through the Malacca Straits to Southeast Asia, Sri Lanka and India  then on to the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea kingdom of Axum and eventual Roman ports  Carried many of the same goods as the Silk Road  How is the Weather?  Ships depended on the winds to carry them to ports  Monsoon season  strong north-east winds blow from October until April  from May until October south and west winds prevail  Travel to East in the winter months  Travel West in the Summer months