The History of the Silk Road

Silk Road Traders

History of Silk

Silk was a product discovered in China sometime around 2700 B.C. It is a textile woven from the protein fibers produced by silkworms in making their cocoons. Silk was a product initially reserved for the very wealthy and powerful people in China. Its process for production was a very carefully guarded secret for over 3,000 years; in fact, there were severe penalties, including death, for those that were found to reveal the secrets of silk to foreigners. Around the 1st or 2nd century, Silk first appeared in the Roman Empire, where it was considered an exotic luxury. Demand for silk remained extremely high throughout the duration of the reign of the Roman and Byzantine Empires, and thus, trading routes and networks between Asia and Europe via land and sea became established. These networks became known as the Silk Road, but at the time had no such name.

Along the Silk Road

Typically, Europeans acquired their silk through these networks, in turn, people in China acquired wool, silver, and gold this way. The route was a caravan path that wound some 4,000 miles from China, through the dusty mountains of Afghanistan, Persia, and the Arabian Peninsula, to the Mediterranean region of Europe. These caravans, typically led by horses or camels, would often stop at Caravanserais - primitive motels that allowed traders to rest, eat, gossip with other traders, and spend the night. These rest stops were often built within a day's journey of each other (about 25 miles) and were essential for traders on long journeys.

The Advancement of Society

Although silk was a primary product traded along the route, gunpowder, paper, metal work, precious gems and rocks, and even religious ideas, were exchanged between civilizations. The exchange of religious and cultural information between Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, is perhaps the most important aspect in considering the legacy of the Silk Road. Knowledge about science, technology, literature, art, and music, were also disseminated via the cultural interactions along the Silk Road. However, the exchanges that occurred were not all positive. The Silk Road is thought to be the manner in which the Black Death spread from Asia to Europe, killing between 30 and 60 percent of all Europeans in the 1300s. It was spread by fleas.

Interactive Silk Road and Scavenger Hunt

Decline of the Silk Road

By the 15th century, the Silk Road was in decline, partly because of the Black Death, and partly because of the decline of the Mongol Empire, which led to widespread fighting and dangerous conditions along parts of the Silk Road. Furthermore, European explorers began searching for sea routes to Asia. Portugal's Vasco da Gama would become the first to travel by sea from Europe to India. Despite its decline, portions of the Silk Road remained in use until the 1800s!

Discussion Questions

  • Why was silk so valuable in ancient times, and how did China keep it secret?
  • What kinds of goods and ideas were traded along the Silk Road?
  • How did the Silk Road help different cultures learn from one another?
  • What were some reasons the Silk Road declined after the 1400s?

    • History of Silk

    Silk was first discovered in China around 2700 B.C. It is made from the threads produced by silkworms when they build their cocoons. At first, silk was only used by rich and powerful people in China, and the method for making it was kept secret for over 3,000 years. Telling this secret to outsiders was a serious crime. Silk first appeared in the Roman Empire around the 1st or 2nd century and quickly became a luxury item. This strong demand led to trade routes connecting Asia and Europe, which became known as the Silk Road.

    Along the Silk Road

    Europeans traded for silk by sending wool, silver, and gold to China. The Silk Road stretched about 4,000 miles and passed through China, Afghanistan, Persia, and the Middle East, ending in Europe. Traders traveled in caravans with horses or camels and stopped at rest stations called caravanserais. These were like simple motels where travelers could sleep, eat, and meet others. They were built about 25 miles apart.

    The Advancement of Society

    Besides silk, the Silk Road helped spread many goods like paper, gunpowder, metalwork, and jewels. It also allowed people to share religion, art, science, and technology across cultures. This sharing of ideas was one of the most important parts of the Silk Road. However, not everything that traveled the road was good—diseases also spread. The Black Death, which killed up to 60% of Europeans in the 1300s, was spread by fleas along this route.

    Decline of the Silk Road

    The Silk Road began to decline in the 1400s because of disease and the fall of the Mongol Empire, which had kept the route safe. Also, explorers started looking for sea routes to Asia. Vasco da Gama from Portugal was the first to reach India by sea from Europe. Even though the Silk Road became less popular, parts of it were still used until the 1800s.

    Marco Polo and the Silk Road Activities