……..The Silk Road

-it linked people from the east and west for more than

1000 years

The Silk Road opened under the Han Dynasty

Zhang Qian- was sent by the emperor Han to explore the Silk Road

-he was sent with 100 men to form alliances w/western people against the Huns

-people were intimidated by the army and many of the men that were with him got killed

-Zhang Qian himself was taken prisoner twice by the Huns but somehow escaped

-10 years later her returned to China and spread the word about what he saw in Persia, Syria, India and Rome.

-Later he went the second time and discovered bigger horse and grapes, and established trade relationships with neighboring areas.

 

Silk

-Only Chinese know how to make it -under Han revealing the secret was punishable by death -Romans had glassware that the Chinese valued and wanted and

that is what silk was traded for. -Interesting fact: Bactrain camels have double eye lids and nostrils

that close! Perfect for desert traveling. -perfect trading because it is easy to carry, light and valuable -besides silk there was fine dishware (China) , decorative boxes,

ornaments and cast iron things.  Chinese valued horses from central Asia, jada, firs and gold -asbestos was also prized for it was used for fire proofing cloth -coral-it supposedly changed color when placed on sick person  

Kashgar-central trading point where the eastern and western roads met -going west of Kashgar- people rode yaks, had to pass

dangerous mountain passes, high elevation, lack of oxygen, dizziness, headache, ringing, slipping over edges

-Going east of kashgar –people rode camels, ran into bandits, deserts, mirages, sand storms

 -the romans traded so much of their gold for silk that the

Roman emperor forbid men to wear silk because it might make them soft and weak.