THE SILK ROAD - A vast, 13th Century,
interlocking network of caravan routes and
trading posts which originated from Rome's
insatiable desire for Chinese silk. Caravans
from China, their long lines of splendid
camels laden with bales of raw silk, would
unload thankfully in the Caravanserais of
Kashgar, having crossed the worst stretch of
the long trade route - the 800 miles skirting
the Taklamakan and Lop Deserts. Fierce
winds blew across the area from the North
East at all seasons - freezing in winter,
blistering in summer.
From Kashgar fresh caravans, using pack
horses and then yaks would transport the silk
further towards Rome, over the icy passes of
the Pamirs to Balkh, Bokhara, Merv and
Damascus, or southwards through the
Karakorams to Kashmir.
Samarkand, a major stopover point and the
fabled city of Afrasiab and Tammerlane's
infamous turquoise and emerald domed
empire, became known as a centre of trade
and manufacture, renowned for its glass and
fine paper - its caravanserais bursting with
jostling merchants and groaning camel trains;
the mile-high warehouses packed with rugs,
spices and endless bales of silk.
interlocking network of caravan routes and
trading posts which originated from Rome's
insatiable desire for Chinese silk. Caravans
from China, their long lines of splendid
camels laden with bales of raw silk, would
unload thankfully in the Caravanserais of
Kashgar, having crossed the worst stretch of
the long trade route - the 800 miles skirting
the Taklamakan and Lop Deserts. Fierce
winds blew across the area from the North
East at all seasons - freezing in winter,
blistering in summer.
From Kashgar fresh caravans, using pack
horses and then yaks would transport the silk
further towards Rome, over the icy passes of
the Pamirs to Balkh, Bokhara, Merv and
Damascus, or southwards through the
Karakorams to Kashmir.
Samarkand, a major stopover point and the
fabled city of Afrasiab and Tammerlane's
infamous turquoise and emerald domed
empire, became known as a centre of trade
and manufacture, renowned for its glass and
fine paper - its caravanserais bursting with
jostling merchants and groaning camel trains;
the mile-high warehouses packed with rugs,
spices and endless bales of silk.
Later on, and through the Khyber and
Kandahar Passes came other goods from
India, Indo-China and the Islands of
Indonesia, namely spices, ivory and cloth,
reaching Anatolia and the mighty Seljuk
Empire via Balkh and Bokhara - the wicked
city of the slave markets.
Finally, and after many months of fighting
both elements and raiders, extreme terrain,
tax-greedy Sultans, thieves, disease,
starvation and exhaustion the camel trains
would reach their ultimate destination of
Rome - only to find that being paid for their
goods would result in a whole new battle!
Kandahar Passes came other goods from
India, Indo-China and the Islands of
Indonesia, namely spices, ivory and cloth,
reaching Anatolia and the mighty Seljuk
Empire via Balkh and Bokhara - the wicked
city of the slave markets.
Finally, and after many months of fighting
both elements and raiders, extreme terrain,
tax-greedy Sultans, thieves, disease,
starvation and exhaustion the camel trains
would reach their ultimate destination of
Rome - only to find that being paid for their
goods would result in a whole new battle!
| "The caravan of life shall always pass, Beware that is fresh as sweet young grass, Let’s not worry about what tomorrow will amass, Fill my cup again, this night will pass, alas!" (From The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam) Omar Khayyam was born in 1044 in Nishapur, a Persian city. He was a well-known mathematician, astronomer and philosopher but was renowned as a poet. He spent most of his life in Persian intellectual centres such as Samarkand and Bukhara and was much favoured by the Seljuk Sultans who ruled the region. |
History
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