The many cross cultural trade routes allowed for the exchanging of goods, ideas, religions, and different aspects of life. There were many different types of trade routes, and as they were used, new, more effective forms of trade were developed.
7 Important Trade Routes in World History:
1. Maritime Trade: Trading through sea travel can be dated back to the 4th and 3rd millennia. Sumerians used this form of trade, and the Egyptians had trade routs through the red sea, mostly importing spices. Trade could soon be seen crossing the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal. Maritime trade started out with small navigations along coasts, but soon developed into much larger routs.
2. Incense Route: This route consisted of trade through a channel connecting South Arabia and the Mediterranean. It allowed trade between Indian, Arabian, and East Asian goods. Control of the route changed over time, and so did the route itself, eventually spreading in many directions.
3. Inca Road System: This trade route ran across the Andes Mountains, connecting regions of the Inca empire, from northern Quito-Ecuador, past the southern, modern day city, Santiago, Chile. When the road first began, the Incan had not made use of the wheel, so trade was done by foot. The Inca used the trail as a way to pass on messages, using books, and memory, and for transportation of goods.
4. Silk Road: This is one of the most well known trade routes to ever exist. It was one of the first routes to connect the eastern and western worlds. The east and west learned a lot about each other through this route. The Chinese opened these land routs. Goods traded through the silk road were silk from China, spices, cotton textiles, pearls, coral and ivory from India, horses and jade from India, and glassware, jewelry, art, an much more from Rome. Along with goods traded, ideas, culture, and religion, such as Buddhism were carried throughout the silk road.
5. Grand Trunk Road: This route connected Culcutta, India to Peshawar, Pakistan. It is one of South Asia’s oldest and longest roads. Part of this road, in Pakistan, coincided with the Silk Road. This road still exists today as a highway route.
6. Amber Road: This route was a European route that dealt with the transport and trade of amber. The road led from Europe to Asian and back, and from Europe to the Mediterranean Sea.
7. Via Maris: One of the most important trade routs in the Middle East during ancient times. In Latin, it literally means, “way of the sea.” This route linked Egypt with Syria, Anatolia, and Mesopotamia. It was crossed by other trade routes, so through this, trade could be done from Africa to Europe, or from Asia to Africa.
These trade routes paved the way for resources, religions, and ways of life to be spread and created a more international market. Without the early use of these trade routes, relationships between different parts of the world wouldn’t have developed, and who knows where we would be today. They opened our world up to giving and accepting new and creative goods, and ideas.
This is a lot of information but very intersting!
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