The Silk Road was an ancient network of trade routes that connected China with the Western world, including the Middle East, Europe, and parts of Asia, active roughly from the 2nd century BCE until the mid-15th century CE
. It was not a single road but a complex web of land and maritime paths spanning over 6,400 kilometers (about 4,000 miles), facilitating the exchange of goods, culture, religion, and ideas across Eurasia
. The name "Silk Road" derives from the lucrative trade in Chinese silk, which was highly prized in Rome, Egypt, and Greece
. Besides silk, the routes carried a wide variety of goods such as spices, tea, dyes, precious stones, metals, wool, gold, silver, glassware, and porcelain
. The Silk Road also enabled the spread of religions like Buddhism and Nestorian Christianity, as well as technological and scientific knowledge including paper and gunpowder
. The overland routes began in the ancient Chinese capital Chang'an (modern Xi'an), passing through Central Asia, the Pamirs, and into the Levant, from where goods were shipped across the Mediterranean
. There was also a significant maritime Silk Road connecting Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Arabian Peninsula, East Africa, and Europe, operated by various seafaring peoples including Austronesian sailors and Arab traders
. The Silk Road was not only a commercial network but a cultural bridge that shaped societies across continents. It faced challenges such as banditry and harsh terrain, and its use declined with the rise of maritime trade and political changes, though it saw revivals such as under the Mongol Empire in the 13th and 14th centuries
. The route also played a role in the spread of the Black Death pandemic in the 14th century
. Today, parts of the ancient Silk Road corridor still exist as modern highways and railways, and the concept inspires cultural and economic initiatives aimed at reconnecting Asia, Europe, and Africa
. In summary, the Silk Road was a vast and influential trade network that linked East and West, fostering economic exchange and cultural interaction for over a millennium.
