The first thing that comes to mind about the silk road is the vision of a long road stretching from east to west Asia and to Europe, packed with travelers, caravans and merchants trading exotic and valuable goods. However, it is interesting to find out that although the Silk Road stretched along great plains; covering vast deserts, tall mountains and deep oceans, it rarely saw one person or even caravans travelling the full length of the road. In fact, the Silk Road was a series of roads and paths connecting major towns and acted as trading routs between them. From theses series of roads, goods exchanged hands and made their way from the Far East to Europe.
In fact, even the name ‘Silk Road’ is deceiving. One might mistakenly believe the sole good traded along the road was silk, however the road took its name after Rome expressed great desire in Chinese silk. But, soon after all sort of exotic goods and luxuries were traded along the Silk Road. It not only acted as the means for trading between towns, but also became the tool in exchange of cultures between great civilizations. In my opinion, it could even be considered the first step towards globalization.
If you glance at a map, The Silk Road resembles a long highway and a long but easy travel for any journeyman. However, it was the setbacks, challenges and difficult terrains that romanticized this great journey. A traveler faced vast desert plains, great mountains, and wild rivers to pass. To add to that a journeyman had to endure long winters and blazing summers, probably in one travel. Excerpts from Marco Polo best describe the travel along the Silk Road. He describes the deserts as so vast that it would take one year to travel from one end to the other. I think the most interesting part of Marco Polo’s excerpts is in how he describes the difficulties of finding water and restoring them.
I believe the greatest wonder of the Silk Road was the oasis towns and Bazaars spread along the road. These towns were home not only to exotic luxuries from far corners of the known world but they were also center to cultures of different civilizations along the silk road. In my opinion the Silk road was the stepping stone for both globalization and multiculturalism.
