A celebration of the cultural heritage of the countries along the Silk Route, this book explores the ancient trade route between Europe and the Far East, more specifically between Rome and the old Chinese capital of Xi'an. It examines the beautiful works of art discovered in each country, and sets them in their historical and geographical context. The author provides a comprehensive history of the Silk Road. Drawing freely on anecdotes, and literary and historical sources, he examines the lives of the merchants and other travellers who used this route and the way in which their activities related to the works of art that were created. Vignettes and poems from the heyday of the great trading route punctuate a lively and colourful book, which also benefits from Antonia Tozer's exceptionally evocative photographs of landscapes and people. Chapters range from "Precursors" and "The Manufacture of Silk", through "China" and "Central Asia" to "Rediscovery in the 20th Century" and "Lost Art of the Silk Road". There is a glossary to foreign and technical terms, as well as chronologies for each period of history for the main sections of the Silk Road, and a bibliography and index.

Table of Contents:
Introduction: what the Silk Road is and was - how it started, where it ran, empires, dynasties and invaders in power throughout its history. Part 1 Precursors: Alexander the Great - his journey represented the first contacts between East and West and followed the approximate route of the Silk Road; trade with nomads - the trade between China and the nomadic tribes (the Huns) on the country's northern frontier marked the beginnings of trade with lands to the west. Part 2 The manufacture of silk: each stage of the process; what goods were traded. Part 3 The Gandhara kingdom and India: the history and style of Gandhara (Afghanistan and Northwest India); the transmission of the Gandhara style of art and of Buddhism to China; Greek influence on Gandhara art. Part 4 China: establishment of the Silk Road as trade developed; early Chinese contacts with the West; the search for "heavenly horses"; the arrival of Buddhism in China and the large number of travellers between India and China; the history of Xi'an and its location at the beginning of the Silk Road; Silk Road sites, their history and art; religions of the Silk Road. Part 5 Central Asia: the Sogdians of Samarkand, Tamerlane (Timur), Khorezm; the history and art of the great Silk Road cities - Samarkand, Tashkent, Bokhara, Merv, Khiva and Balkh. Part 6 The Middle East and the crusades: the great cities of Baghdad, Palmyra, Samatra, Antioch and Aleppo; the rise of Islam, its art and history. Part 7 The Roman empire and Byzantium: early contacts between Rome and China; Roman art and history. Part 8 The Mongols: Ghengis Khan and Kubilai Khan and their effect on trade along the Silk Road; Marco Polo and other early Europeans at the Mongol court. Part 9 The decline of the Silk Road: the rise of sea trade; the collapse of the Mongol empire in 1368; the Ming Dynasty and the restoration of Chinese sovereignty; the early European explorers who preferred sea to land travel. Part 10 Rediscovery in the 20th century: Aurei Stein and others exploring the lost cities of the Taklamakan; the race for treasures at the beginning of the 20th century. Part 11 Lost art of the Silk Road: works of art from old publications; photographs of works that were published years ago but have been lost.