The Silk Road

The Han dynasty opened trade with

other ancient cultures
The main players of trade were the Han
dynasty and Rome
The Han dynasty spanned 400 years
(206 B.C to 220 A.D.)
This was the same period the Roman
Empire was in its prime.

Not A Road

The Silk Road was not a

single road between Rome
and China
It was a network of roads that
led from one trade center to
another
Previous dynasties had been
leery of outsidersmainly
because of constant attacks by
Mongol tribes over the years

The Dangers of Trade

The climate and terrain

were a hardship

Cold

Hot

Brutal winds

Dangers

bandits/pirates

snakes

What Was the Attraction for China

Zang Qian (father of the Silk

Road) originally sought an
alliance with people in the West to
fight the Huns
He discovered new commodities
that would help the Chinese

Bigger, stronger, faster

horses (Arabians)

New produce (e.g. grapes)

Glassware from blown

glass

Gold, silver, precious gems

What Was the Attraction for the West

It depended on where one lived, but

Rome was the biggest consumer
Rome had long known about silk;
only the rich could afford a small
patch, which they wore on their
toga
Also wanted spices and ivory
Fine dishware (China)
Valued asbestos for fireproof
cloth
But most of all, SILK

Worth the Risk?

Camels and yaks made the

Road possible.
Camels went East and
Yaks traveled West
East and West got what they
desired
Culture also traded
Fruits, vegetables,
noodles, crossbow,
gunpowder (early gun)