Silk Roads
- This is a preview of the essay.
To view the full text you must login!
AFTER THE FACT INTERACTIVE: ARGUMENT OUTLINE
THESIS: Luxury goods were only one of many goods that were transported along the Silk Roads. Diffusion of skills, technologies, ideas, religion, non-luxury items and unintentional biological transfers were also products of the Silk Roads.
EVIDENCE:
Silk Princess (140 BCE): In this painting, legend has it that a Chinese princess smuggled silkworm eggs and mulberry seeds onto the Silk Roads, introducing these materials and knowledge of silkworm cultivation to the autonomous Khotan region of China. Advancement of knowledge along the Silk Roads in the form of silk production and spinning techniques was transported.
Wenji's Scroll (195-207): Lady Wenji was abducted by Nomads. She had two children by her nomadic husband, bringing her settled society and his nomadic society together. Customs and lineage(nationalities) were traded on the Silk Roads.
Nestorian Woman (400s): Assyrians and Chinese interacted and cross-bred. Nestorian communities were established along the Silk Roads. Their faith based on Nestorius survived as an officially recognized faith and cultural force even after the Arab conquest of Persia in 637...