| Cotton fabric is comfortable to wear, yet the silk fabric | | | | The Silk Road was used by the caravans and traders |
| has a different charm. The finest silks were first | | | | to bring the material silk, lacquer ware and porcelain |
| cultivated in China and exported to other countries of | | | | from China. Chinese traders in turn got dates, |
| the world through the Silk Road. This is not a single | | | | pistachios, saffron, frankincense, aloes, myrrh, |
| route but a set of routes that connected the regions | | | | sandalwood and glass bottles. Though different |
| of China, central Asia, and the West for trade and | | | | varieties of silks were the main items of trade, gold, |
| commerce. | | | | ivory, exotic animals and plants were also traded via |
| The route profoundly affected the cultures of the | | | | the route. Of course, no one covered the entire stretch |
| regions it connected. It is believed to have existed from | | | | of the route. Merchants covered different sections of |
| the time of Alexander the Great. Though raw forms | | | | the route and didn't travel much away from their own |
| of the road existed even before that, it was during the | | | | regions. But the goods traveled considerable distances |
| reign of Alexander that the route expanded. The route | | | | as they were passed along. |
| stretched over 5000 miles of dangerous terrains, yet | | | | Silk was a very popular and desirable object. Its |
| touched some beautiful civilizations along its path. | | | | popularity made the Silk Road a busy route for trade |
| The Silk Routes started from Changan, a city in north | | | | and commerce. Hence, it attracted the attention of |
| China and the then capital of the country. It spread | | | | savage tribes that looted and plundered the merchants |
| across the province of Gansu and reached Dunhuang | | | | on the route. Several Chinese emperors came |
| on the edge of the desert Taklamakan, characterized | | | | forward to give protection to the traders. Walls and |
| by extreme temperatures and harsh conditions. Very | | | | forts were built along the trade route. |
| few oases dotted the desert area then and travelers | | | | Travelers and religious preachers used this route to |
| preferred to circumvent it altogether. From Dunhuang, | | | | explore new cultures and spread religious thoughts |
| the trade route spread to Kashgar, at the foot of the | | | | respectively. Trade in the silk fabric elevated the route |
| Pamirs. There were branches of the route that carried | | | | to prominence during the Tang dynasty and the age of |
| pure silk in to the Indian continent, stretched to the | | | | the Mongolian Empire. Thereafter, the route was used |
| Mediterranean, and into Africa. | | | | less and less as sea routes were established. |