The Silk Roads played an important role in connecting Afro-Eurasia, both culturally and economically. The term “Silk Roads” was first used by Baron Ferdinand von Richtofen, a German geographer from the 19th century. He created the phrase to describe the routes between India, China, and the Mediterranean, which were used to transport items such as silk, livestock, glass, and precious metals. Historians have speculated that the roads might have been used as early as 2000 B.C.E. In the last century B.C.E., the Silk Roads experienced a golden age. Agrarian and pastoral communities surrounded many regions of the roads, which resulted in faster, safer travel for traders. Eventually the Silk Roads usage declined, as pastoral communities diminished and merchants began finding other routes. …show more content…
Extensive trans-cultural commerce occurred as well. Inventions such as crossbows, paper, and gunpowder were traded across the majority of Afro-Eurasia. Many cities, including Tashkent and Kalgan, relied on the business that travelers from the Silk Roads brought. Additionally, many regions shared languages, cultural attitudes, and religious motifs. The Silk Roads truly connected Afro-Eurasia, bringing new recourses and innovations to each