During April I'll be posting on the A-Z Blogging Challenge,My these is the Hunzas.
Today is S ...... for Silk Route.
Silk Road is an ancient Chinese trade road that connected East South, and Western Asia. For 2,000 years the route was the main highway used by merchants but as dangers increased, free market goods were sent by water.
Silk from China was the major trade item but other luxuries were traded, for example, medicines, jewels, glassware, musk, spices, ivory, carpets and tea.
The name conjures up one continuous road, but it was a series of roads and agents who traveled various routes.
Hunza was an important stop on the Silk Road. It was the last resting place and also the highest point on the Southern route from Iran.
The caravans carrying precious goods were as anxiously awaited, as was the pony express in the early settlement days of America. Scenes from the old musical, "Music Man" comes to mind as the kids waited daily for the Pony Express to bring their band instruments. As out of the loop, as the Hunza people were, I can imagine the excitement when the caravans arrived on the Silk Route.
Very interesting Manzi!!
ReplyDeleteI am not sure if I ever seen the old musical "Music Man". Maybe... but I just don't recall it.
I can picture the Hunzas gathering around waiting to trade their wares for silks, spices etc.. I would be at the front of the line.
Having a home on a trade route would have been very beneficial. Like some small towns in America, when that route changes, it really hurts the economy.
ReplyDeleteThis is such an interesting series.
Ah yes. I've seen The Music Man many times, once on "stage" outdoors in Red Rock country (St. George, Utah), and when you compare this to the ancient Chinese road, I can see it all! Silk. It rolls off the tongue. I love ancient history. Your posts are awesome. When my real life settles down I'll come back and read the ones I've missed in your wonderful series.
ReplyDeleteA few of my Blogger follows have trouble with WordPress (I really only know the basics). But don't worry. I do know who wholerad is and can always find you!
Hope you have a wonderful weekend!!
Ann Best, Author of In the Mirror & Other Memoirs
I can just see and hear the people calling to each other in excitement when a caravan was spotted.
ReplyDeleteThe Silk Road sounds so romantic, but I'm sure it was a treacherous route to travel. I can imagine how exciting it must have been for the people who were so isolated to see the caravans approach.
ReplyDeleteThis whole series has been--& I'm sure will continue to be--FASCINATING!!
ReplyDeleteHow fun! so much we take for granted here in the United States.
ReplyDeleteIt must have been interesting to see the caravans coming through, especially if they haven't seen them before.
ReplyDeleteTerry : We'd be in the front line for the perfume, jewelry and yards and yards of flowing silk.
ReplyDeletePatti : Yeah, small towns literally die sometimes if they reroute a highway.
Ann : You're right. Silk is a word that is slick in rolling off the tongue. I like most musicals and know most of the songs but I realize how old fashioned my tastes in music are.
Bish : Like the "Ding Dong Dairy" ice cream wagon used to play a little tune and gather kids like the Pied Piper
Inger : I suppose they came on camels because they had to cross the desert.
ReplyDeleteFran : Thank you for the kind words. Hope you have a fun weekend with your family.
Tracy :Thanks for the comment. You have a nice week end.
Pat : How'd you like to ride across the desert on a camel?
I am feeding silk worms in my classroom right now. Soon I will have 100's of cocoons! But I will not unwrap the silk...or trade it. My kindergartners are learning about lifecycles.
ReplyDeleteHappy A-Z Saturday!
This is the Hunza version of a flea market I suppose...albeit a mobile one.
ReplyDeleteI always learn cool stuff on your site :), Miriam@Meatless Meals For Meat Eaters
ReplyDeleteI'm imagining it too, from your post, the excitement of people and goods from a world outside of their own, that most would never see.
ReplyDeletePlay off the Page
I miss the days of a non-electronic age. So much is lost in button pushing these days. And sorry I can't visit more often right now. :(
ReplyDeleteJules @ Trying To Get Over The Rainbow
This was a very interesting post. The silk road is very interesting, there are several books about it.
ReplyDeleteI used to hate the idea of musicals, people all of a sudden bursting out in song. But then a friend said, wouldn't you like to sometimes? and then I understood.
Music Man, that's the one with 76 trombones in it, the instrument retailer.
Silk Road theme is always so very inspiring for me, too! I read a few enchanting books on it... It was a documentary based fiction...so involving!
ReplyDeleteI am not sure though that they are translated into English, alas...
Manzi, you know, there is a beautiful new age composition 'Silk Road' by a Japanese composer Kitaro http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnN5rCgH4vg&feature=related