Silk is known to be luxurious and expensive fabric material. It is said to be stronger than steel for it has fiber that which has the same diameter as to the fiber of steel. It was first developed in China and now has various variations. You can find silk that cam from cocoons of different silkworm that has different property that is beneficial. But you may wonder about the connection of silk to the famous Silk Road. So here is the history of the Silk Road for you to understand their connection.
The “Seidenstrae” which literally mean “Silk Road” was given by a German geographer Ferdinand von Richthofen. Silk Road is a trade route that originated from Chang’an (now Xian) in the east and ended at the Mediterranean in the west which began during Han Dynasty. It was stated in history that it gradually grew up in this dynasty. It became the most famous trade route and reached the most prosperous stage with the establishment of Tang dynasty. And during the Yuan dynasty, it experienced its last flourishing period.
Silk Road was extended from Southern Europe through Arabia, Somalia, Egypt, Persia, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Java, and Vietnam until it reaches China. It is named Silk Road because the major product that traders traveled on this road is silk. Aside from silk they also trade porcelain, furs, spices, gems and other exotic products of Asia. There are also cosmetics, silver, gold, amber, ivory, carpets, perfume and glass from Europe, Central Asia, Arabia and Africa. This ancient route does not only use for trading goods but it also exchange cultures, and technology from different places.
Now you learned that the Silk Road was named after silk because most of the product that is trade in this road is silk.