The silk road.

The silk road is a collection of trade routes (old roads, untarred paths between cities) which connected the east (Asia) to the west (Europe). It served as an exchange of ideas on economy, religion, culture between the east and west in medieval times.

 

The name originates from the very profitable and surplus trade of silk carried out on the routes. Silk trade started during the Han's dynasty rule in China (about 200BC). The silk road was initiated and globalized by Chinese exploration and conquests in central Asia. The development and expansion of the silk road over the centuries was aided by the rise of empires across Asia and Europe. Trades with the Roman empire, Byzantine empire also contributed to its growth. From the Persian Royal road of the Assyrian empire through the expansion of the Greek empire of Alexander the great.

One of the artifacts traded on the silk road

The demand for well bred horses by China and silk by  western world aided trade and as time passed, various goods were exchanged as well. There is also a maritime route involving water bodies and port cities.

The remains of a bridge on the silk road

The significance of the silk road lies in it's role in exchange of cultures and ideas apart from goods from the far East to the west and vice versa.

 Though there was a great decline in the use of the silk road in the 15th century, today, there's new and modern initiatives to the silk road like rail which will serve the purpose of commerce amongst continents.