Silk Road			Home   Silk Production
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From its shadowy beginnings in the 2nd century BC to its slow demise in the thirteenth century, the Silk Road served as the only artery that linked the otherwise isolated worlds of East and West. In its early days it was a route down which the Chinese would bring back from Central Asia, or from Baghdad, horses famed for their fleetness, agility, and, it was said, their ability to sweat blood. With these horses, the Imperial armies of China were able to repel the frequent raids by barbarian horsemen from the northern steppes. In return, the Middle Kingdom traded silk, whose luxurious qualities were soon sought after as far away as Rome, and whose trade formed the backbone of the economies of cities like Constantinople. The Chinese were able to keep the method of production of silk secret for many centuries. To secure this new trade route, Chinese troops were sent, starting with the Han dynasty, to build watchtowers and man garrisons on the fringe of the Taklimakan ("if you go in you don't come out") Desert. These fortified caravanserai were essential for protecting and supplying the camel trains that slowly made their way from oasis to oasis through some of the world's most inhospitable lands.
Lessons			Links
Marco Polo Postcard Silk Road Project Marco Polo Activity Caravans on the Silk Road WebQuest *** Some links on Caravans WebQuest do not work. Not recently updated.			Silk Road Encounters Marco Polo Internet Content for the Classroom Teaching the Silk Road Top of Page