The Great Silk Road is the route along which caravans of goods from East Asia to the Mediterranean marched. Since time immemorial, people have been trading among themselves. But it was not just a trade road, it was a connecting thread between countries and peoples along which economic, cultural and even political ties passed.
Trade, its importance in the development of human society
Where caravans went, cities arose, they became cultural and economic centers that played an important role in the history of civilizations.
Trade began with a simple exchange of goods that were not in one place, but they were redundant in another. These were the most important products: salt, non-ferrous gems and metals, incense, herbs and spices. At first it was an ordinary barter exchange, when one product changed to another, and then, with the development of economic relations, the purchase and sale of goods for money began. Thus arose trade, which needed a place of its implementation, in other words, a place of trade: festivities, bazaars, fairs.
The trails along which the caravans of merchants traveled connected distant countries, cities and peoples. Systems of certain caravan routes connecting various countries of the Near and Middle East appeared already during the Neolithic and became widespread in the Bronze Age.
Ways, allowed to carry out not only trade, but also the exchange between different parts of civilization at the cultural level. Separate sections of it merged, roads went farther west and east, north and south, covering more and more new territories. Thus the Great Way arose, as we would say in our time, the transcontinental highway, which provided for many centuries a trade and cultural dialogue of various cultures and civilizations.
The appearance of the Great Silk Road, date
The beginning of the construction of roads along which the Great Way will pass can be attributed to the second half of the II century BC. e. The decisive role in this was played by an outstanding Chinese official, diplomat and spy - Zhang Jiang.
In 138 BC e. with a dangerous diplomatic mission he moved to the nomadic Yuezha people and revealed for the Chinese the West of Central Asia - the countries of Sogdiana and Bactria (now the territory of Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan). He was amazed to find out what was the demand for goods from China, and was stunned by the amount of goods that China had no idea about.
How the Great Way was created
Returning to his homeland in 126 BC. e., this official sent the emperor his report on the benefits of trade with Western countries. In 123-119 years. BC e. Chinese troops defeated the Huns, making the route from the Middle Kingdom to the West safe. Thus, two roads were connected into a single whole:
- From East to West, to Central Asia. She was scouted by Zhang Jiang, who traveled this part of the journey from North to South, through Davan, Kangyuy, Sogdiana and Bactria.
- And the second - from the West to the East, from the Mediterranean countries to Central Asia. It was explored and passed by the Greeks and Macedonians during the campaigns of Alexander the Great, to the Yaksart River (Syr Darya).
A single highway was formed, connecting two great civilizations - Western and Eastern. She was not static. The development of the Great Silk Road made it possible to unite even more countries and peoples. According to Chinese and Roman documents, caravans of goods, diplomatic missions and embassies went along this road.
First description
The very first mapping of the route from the Eastern Mediterranean to China was described by the Macedonian May. Who personally did not visit China, but used the denunciations of his scouts. They compiled their information about this country from the population of Central Asia. Partial mappings of roads leading from West to East can be found in the documents of the Greeks, Romans and Parthians.
According to them and archaeological excavations, in the period of the 1st century. BC e. - I century n e. East and West were connected by paths, which we will discuss in more detail.
South sea
He ran from Egypt to India, originating in the ports of Mios Hormus and Brenika on the Red Sea and then bypassed the Arabian Peninsula to the ports of the Indian coast: Barbarikon on the Indus River, Barigaz on Narmada and the port of Mirmyrika on the southern side of the peninsula. From Indian ports, goods were transported either into the country or to the North, to Bactria. The path to the East went in a roundabout way, bypassing the peninsula, immediately to the countries of the Asian Southeast and China.
Where were the roads
The branches of the Great Silk Road began in Rome and through the Mediterranean Sea led directly to the Syrian Hyeropolis, from where, passing through Mesopotamia, Northern Iran, and Central Asia, they lay in the oases of East Turkestan and continued on to China. A section of the path of Central Asia originated in Ares, from where the path deviated north and ran into Antioch Margilan. Further to the southwest to Bactria, and then there was a separation in two directions - to the north and east.
In addition, there was the Northern Road of the Great Silk Road. She crossed the Amu Darya River in the area of Tarmity (Termez) and further along the Sherabad River ran to the Iron Gate. From the Iron Gate, the road went to Akrabat, and then turned north into the Kesh region (now Shakhrisabz and Ketab) and went to Maracanda.
From here, overcoming the Hungry Steppe, the road went to Chach (Tashkent oasis), Ferghana and further to East Turkestan. From Tarmita along the Surkhandarya valley, the road went to a mountainous country located in the area of modern Dushanbe, and further to the Stone Tower, near which there was a parking lot of merchants. After it, the Great Silk Road skirted the Takla Makan desert from the north and south, dividing into two roads.
The southern branch went through the oases of Yarkend, Khotan, Niy, Miran and in Dunhua connected with the Northern section, which passed through the oases of Kizil, Kuchi, Turfan. Then the path ran along the Great Wall of China to the capital of the heavenly empire - Chang'an. Today there is an assumption that he went further to Korea and further to Japan and ended in its capital, Nara.
Steppe path
Another Great Silk Road road ran north of Central Asia and originated in the northern cities of the Black Sea: Olbia, Tire, Pantikapei, Chersonese, Fanagoria. Further, the steppe road went from the coastal cities to the large ancient city of Tanais, located in the lower part of the Don. Further through the steppes are the South Russian, Lower Volga, lands of the Aral. Then through the South of Kazakhstan to Altai and East of Turkestan, where it connected with the main part of the road.
Jade Path
One of the routes running northward went to the Aral Sea region (Khorezm). Through it, deliveries were made to the internal regions of Central Asia - to the Ferghana and Tashkent oases.
As part of the Great Silk Road, the Jade Road also existed, along which jade, which was much appreciated there, was brought to China. It was mined in the Baikal region, whence it came from the Eastern Sayans, the oasis of Khotan to Central China.
The Way and the Great Migration
It was not only a trade road, through it went the Great Migration of Peoples. According to it, starting from the 1st century. n e., from East to West there passed the tribes of nomads: Scythians, Sarmatians, Huns, Avars, Bulgarians, Pechenegs, Magyars and others "there is no to them."
In the trade of East and West, most of the goods moved from east to west. In Rome, during its heyday, Chinese silk and other goods from the mysterious East were very popular. From the 9th century This product has been actively purchased by Western Europe. Arabs brought them to the South of the Mediterranean and further to Spain.
Goods that went through the silk road
Silk fabrics and raw silk are the main commodities on the Great Silk Road. It was very convenient to transport them over long distances because silk is light and thin. He was very much appreciated in Europe, he was sold at the price of gold. China had a monopoly on silk production until about the V-VI century. n e. and for a long time was a center for the production and export of silk along with Central Asia.
In the Middle Ages, China also traded porcelain and tea. Wool and cotton fabrics were shipped to China from the Middle East and Central Asia. From countries of South and Southeast Asia, merchants delivered to Europe spices and spices that were worth more than gold in Europe.
On the way were all the goods that existed at that time. This is gold and its products, paper, gunpowder, precious stones and jewelry, dishes, silver, leather, rice and so on.
Significance of the Great Way
The routes of the Great Silk Road were full of dangers that awaited at every turn. The path was long and difficult. Not everyone was able to overcome it. It would take more than 250 days, or even a whole year, to get from Beijing to the Caspian. This path has always been a conductor of not only trade, but also culture. Much in history is associated with the Great Silk Road. The personalities of the great rulers, famous people who lived in cities located on the territory of its passage, entered the history of mankind. Not only merchants traveled with caravans, but also poets, artists, philosophers, scientists, pilgrims. Thanks to them, the world learned about Christianity, Buddhism, Islam. The world received the secret of gunpowder, paper, silk, learned about the culture of various corners of civilization.
Dangerous roads
In order for the caravans to freely go along the Great Silk Road, peace was needed on the territory of its passage. This could be achieved in two ways:
- Create a colossal empire that could control the entire territory of its passage.
- Divide this territory between strong states that have the ability to create safe routes for merchants.
The history of the Great Silk Road knows three such periods when one state completely controlled it:
- Turkic Kaganate (end of VI century).
- Empire of Genghis Khan (end of the 13th century).
- Empire of Tamerlane (end of the 14th century).
But due to the enormous length of trade routes, it was extremely difficult to establish the necessary control. The "division of the world" between large states is the most real way.
The loss of the influence of the Great Silk Road
The decline of the path is primarily associated with the development of maritime trade and shipping off the coast of the Middle East, South and Southeast Asia. Maritime movement in the XIV-XV century. it was much safer, in short, cheaper and more attractive than land roads full of dangers.
The sea voyage from Southeast Asia to China lasted approximately 150 days, while the land route lasted a little less than a year. The carrying capacity of the ship was equal to the weight that the caravan of 1,000 camels carried.
This served as the Great Silk Road to the 16th century. gradually lost its meaning. Only parts of it continued to caravans for another hundred years (trade in Central Asia with China continued until the 18th century).