The expedition of Zhang Qian in 138 BC is considered to be the foundation of the first ‘Silk Road’. On his return to Han China, his most important achievement was to demonstrate the possibility for ...

The Spice Routes, also known as Maritime Silk Roads, is the name given to the network of sea routes that link the East with the West. They stretch from the west coast of Japan, through the islands of ...

Religious movements and religions have had an important role on the history of the Silk Roads. It is notably the case of Buddhism which had a considerable influence on the early trade routes. Within ...

SOAS, the School of Oriental and African Studies (University of London) is dedicated to the study of the languages, cultures and societies of Africa, Asia and the Middle East, and is the only Higher ...

The Lord Buddha was born in 623 BC in the sacred area of Lumbini located in the Terai plains of southern Nepal, testified by the inscription on the pillar erected by the Mauryan Emperor Asoka in 249 ...

Al-Tafhim li Awa'il Sana'at al-Tanjim is a Persian language work by the renowned Iranian scientist, abu-Rayhan al-Biruni (440-362 HD/ 973-1048 AD) containing questions and answers in a format easily ...

Ghengis Khan and his Mongol armies rose to power at the end of the twelfth century, at a moment when few opposing rulers could put up much resistance to them. The vast Mongol empire he created ...

We’ve elaborated the UNESCO Project Planner – Top Tips for Youth Action to help you move from an idea to an actionable project plan. If you have identified a problem in your community, and have an ...

Porcelain is a material made from well-chosen porcelain clay or pottery stone through technological processes like proportioning, molding, drying and firing. Although porcelain developed from pottery, ...

From the mid-seventh century, Muslim Arab armies from Saudi Arabia began to travel north into Central Asia and west across Africa, invading the countries they passed. The Sasanian Empire, exhausted ...

The vast trade networks of the Silk Roads carried more than just merchandise and precious commodities. In fact, the constant movement and mixing of populations brought about the widespread ...

The inland routes of the Silk Roads were dotted with caravanserais, large guest houses or hostels designed to welcome travelling merchants and their caravans as they made their way along these trade ...