Major Challenges along Silk Route Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Major Challenges along Silk Route - Essay ExampleMoreover, Silk Route proved to be a significant avenue for the exchange of ideas, cultures, and religions. Some of the primary ideas and technology travelled to the world through Silk Route, such as, paper making technology, printing, and gunpowder output signal are a few to name. Explorers, migrants, traders, soldiers, refugees, and pilgrims contributed to Silk Routes extensive cross-continental exchange through their religion, culture, animals, flowers, vegetables, plants, herbs, fruits, and di seases as well (Ma, 1998, pp.1-2).It is not surprising that Silk Road was considered to be the melting pot, and the lifeline of the Eurasiatic Continent (Franck and Brownstone 1986 Werblowsky 1988 cited in Ma, 1998, p.2).Routes expansion due to apparently hostile conditions, such as, war between tribes and robbery, Silk routes reached to India, Tibet, Iraq, and Russia(todays). Moreover, it merged into previously established routes, such as, spice routes with India (Rowan, 2006). 2. Silk ocean Route Sea route is considered to be another Silk Route which links South China Sea to Indian Ocean and to Mediterranean through two Persian Gulf and Red Sea route. Sea route served the same purpose for silk trade as overland route. In ancient times, overland or sea routes were alternate routes. Over a period of time, sea routes didnt prove more efficient due to primitive ships, inefficient navigational tools, and miss of geographical knowledge. Seafarers used to stay close to the shorelines at that placefore, they cover very small distances (Needham and Wang, 1954, pp.174-80). The rise of Islam played crucial role in the development of overland and sea Silk Route. Muslim ship masters pervaded into not only Indian... Strength of the windstorm and nature of the surface make it more dangerous. Though local people gull coarse respect for this Land of Death, only few travellers said well about this region in the past. A few roads pass through this capacious region, caravans skirted the edges of this region from one oasis to another throughout ancient times. Climate has always been harsh in summers, the day time temperature is in 40s and greater than 50 degree Celsius frequently measures in the sub-sea-level basin of Turfan. On the other hand, in winters, the temperatures dip below -20 degrees. Temperatures are high in day time, but discount sharply after dusk. Moreover, Taklimakan desert has much sparse water resources (Wild, 1992).Such severe environmental conditions posed great threats to traders from ancient times. Other regions surrounding Taklimakan were equally dangerous. To the northeast, there lies Gobi desert with equally hostile climate. On other three sides, there are highest mountains in the world Himalaya, Karakorum, and Kunlun ranges. Only few icy, but dangerously sign up and difficult passes cross the region. Most of these passes are more than 5000 meters in altitude, with deep and steep si de valleys. North ranges, Tianshan and Pamir are comparatively green and low, however, passes crossing these ranges have enormous problems for the travelers and traders in ancient times. However, a comparatively easier entering point is along the Gansu Corridor while entering the region from east (Wild, 1992).