American Museum of Natural History

Denise Patry Leidy

Mark Norell

Laura Ross

Spanning the Eurasian continent and thousands of years, the Silk Road was an incredible network of trade routes, but wares were far from the only goods exchanged on its expanses. People from many lands travelled the passages of the Silk Road and with them they brought their religion, culture, art, music, cuisine, technology and way of life. Silk from China was brought to Rome, glass from Baghdad found its way to Mongolia. Buddhism spread from India outward, the Koran travelled thousands of miles. And with each stop, a new variation was made on the object or idea that found itself in a new place. Travelling the Silk Road follows this transition and transmission of wares and culture from Xi'an, China, to Turfan, China, on to Samarkand in Uzbekistan, then Baghdad in Iraq and finally to Istanbul, Turkey and the sea routes around the continent. This truly epic journey is illustrated with amazing artwork, texts and artefacts found in archaeological sites all along the road.

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