Although officially no longer in existence today, the Silk Road continues to be an important legacy of mankind’s past. Indeed, this network of ancient roads played a very important role in history. Let’s return to the reinvention of the Silk Road.

A very wide network of highways that crosses all of Eurasia

The Silk Road has a long and complex history spanning centuries. First, you should know that the Silk Road was a network of trade routes connecting the ancient civilizations of East and West. Note that this is not a single route, but a series of routes that change over time as political, economic and cultural factors influence business patterns in the different regions involved.

The history of the Silk Road dates back to 2^e century BC, when Chinese merchants of the Han dynasty began trading silk with their neighbors in Central Asia. At the time, silk was produced almost exclusively in China. In addition to the exchange of silk with the Far East, the exploration of the routes connecting China to this region was also ordered by Emperor Han Wu to obtain information about people and lands, and to find potential business partners and allies.

A street that has witnessed 1,500 years of history

Over time, this trade route grew, connecting China with the Roman Empire and passing through some of the world’s most stunning landscapes, including the Gobi Desert and the Pamir Mountains. Silk Road routes are complicated, but we can still identify four main routes. The northern route runs from China through Central Asia to the Black Sea. The southern route is from China to the Persian Gulf via India.

Meanwhile, the central route runs from China through the Pamir Mountains to the Caspian Sea. Finally, there is the sea route connecting China with Southeast Asia and the Indian Ocean. The Silk Road spanned more than 6,400 kilometers. Over its nearly 1,500 years of existence, the Silk Road has played an important role in the history of the many civilizations it linked. In particular, it enables the circulation of ideas, cultures and people in Asia, Europe and East Africa.

For example, Buddhism spread from India to China along the Silk Road. Despite its cultural, social and economic importance, the Silk Road eventually disappeared. The decline of the Silk Road began in the 15th century^e century with the rise of maritime trade and the decline of the Mongol Empire, which facilitated trade along the route. The road was officially closed by the Ottoman Empire in 1453 following a boycott of trade with China. Today, part of the Silk Road still exists, a paved highway connecting Pakistan and the Xinjiang region of China. Besides, the Silk Road could be much older than we think.