The Silk Road was once one of the most essential routes because it united the East and West, making it a useful route for trade. Along the Silk Road, many goods and spices were traded between different communities, thus expanding cross-cultural communication at an age when it was incredibly difficult. It connected Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Uzbekistan’s location at the center of the Eurasian continent made it an ideal location for trade on the Silk Road. Journeying through Uzbekistan now means passing through places in which trade caused civilizations to flourish.
Uzbekistan’s ideal location on the Silk Road allowed some of the first civilizations to develop there. The fertile land in the region meant that civilizations could expand as crops could be grown and fed to them. Its diversity of natural resources, developed urban centers, booming handicraft and artisan industries and the highly developed commodity-money network made it an attractive location. As such, many trade and exchange relations took place in Uzbekistan. Because of the Silk Road, Uzbekistan has also been home to Zoroastrianism, Buddhism, Islam and Communism at different points in time.
The Silk Roads were formed by Chinese explorers and diplomats, who were searching for a way to connect different regions for the purpose of trade. Establishing trade relations between communities granted access to new innovations that could improve the lifestyles of many and people would be able to explore more opportunities. Around 140 AD, the Chinese emperor Wu Di also intended to increase Chinese influence in the Eurasian region through the establishment of the Silk Road. Not only was the Silk Road essential for trade, but it also facilitated a new system of international relations and communications.
The four greatest empires of the ancient world had access to the Silk Road and remained in close contact because of it: the Han Empire, Kushan Empire, Parthian Empire and Roman Empire. In around 50 BC, Roman legions discovered Chinese silk and became fond of it, after Parthians revealed it to them. They sought out the Silk Road to acquire more of this new, revolutionary material. By the first century AD, much of Rome had successfully gotten their hands on this fascinating fabric. Other than trade, missionaries, scholars and musicians also used the Silk Road to travel.
During the beginning of the 20th century, the Silk Road lost its importance as maritime and air trade overtook the Western regions. The advancement of technology over the decades paved the way for more efficient modes of travel that connected many regions. Sea travel also made it easier to cross oceans and allowed for more people to travel at one time. As tourism started booming in recent years, Central Asia has worked hard to shed light on what the Silk Road has left behind across the region.
Many sites in Uzbekistan are linked to the Silk Road. The towns along the Silk Road include Samarkand, Bukhara, and Khiva, which have become popular tourist destinations that still take pride in their artisanal culture. The towns are rich in heritage, history and culture, boasting traditional architecture instead of modern skyscrapers that many of us have become used to. Alongside popular tourist sites including the Registan, Gur-e-Amir, Shah-i-Zinda, Bibi-Khanym Mosque, Kalon Mosque and Minaret, the Ark, Char Minar, Ichon Qala, and more. There are even Silk Road bazaars, where tourists can experience what bazaars were like back in the day in extravagant marketplaces. Although the Silk Road is no longer in use, it has definitely left its legacy in Uzbekistan.
Sources (MLA):
Eaves, Megan. "A Must-Visit List Of Incredible Silk Road Sights In Uzbekistan". Lonely Planet, 2019, https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/silk-road-sights-uzbekistan.
Roberts, Sophy. "The Unseen Treasures Of Uzbekistan’S Silk Road". Financial Times, 2019, https://www.ft.com/content/541423ac-fb09-11e9-98fd-4d6c20050229.
Taseer, Aatish. "In Uzbekistan, Coming To Terms With The Country’S Dazzling History". The New York Times Style Magazine, 2020, https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/11/t-magazine/uzbekistan-history-silk-road.html. Accessed 26 Dec 2020.
"Uzbekistan | Silk Roads Programme". UNESCO, https://en.unesco.org/silkroad/countries-alongside-silk-road-routes/uzbekistan#:~:text=The%20most%20intensive%20periods%20of,Khanate%3B%20during%20developed%20Middle%20Ages.&text=Initially%20the%20route%20went%20through,through%20the%20cities%20of%20Uzbekistan.
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