Summary
History and Findings
The term 'Silk Road' was coined by German geographer, geologist and explorer Ferdinand Von Richthofen in 1877. It refers to a network of trade routes connecting the East and West, from 2nd century BCE to 18th century CE. It was central to the economic, cultural, political and religious interaction s between these regions. Merchants transported goods and traded it to bazaars or other residential areas. Since the main item traded was silk, the road gained the name as silk road.
Silk Road was the main and the most busiest trade road in the world at that time. It was travelled for around 1400 years and now many scholar have tried to find out the historical importance and hidden treasures in these Silk Routes. One of them is Aurel Stein. He brought to light the hidden treasures of a great civilization which by then was practically lost in the world. His discovery of Mogao cave (generally referred to as Dunhuang, or Dunhuang Caves) is consider as one of his greatest. Dunhuang were places of rest, and for those who accepted the law of the Buddha, the cave shrines where a source of spiritual comfort as they either prayed for a safe outward journey or offered players of thanksgiving for their safe return. From his findings, he came to conclude that Dunhuang was a rich multi- culture environment in the age of the silk road. He also found 'Diamond Sutra' dated to 868 which was world's oldest known intact printed book. He brought those findings to England.
Stein found that Library Cave (Cave 17) which was unleased by Wang Yuanlu Seven years earlier contained nearly 40,000 ancient manuscripts and paintings. Today the bulk of the manuscript remnants of the library cave are stored at the National Library of China in Beijing.
Institutionalisation of the Silk Road
The earliest institutionalisation of the Silk Road on a grand scale was inaugurated by UNESCO in 1988. International Dunhuang Project (IDP) has also contributed much in the institutionalisation of the Silk Road. A dedicated westside has been made in which all the manuscripts, paintings, textiles etc are available and can be used freely for educational and research works. The Silk Road Foundation under the direction of its founder and executive director, Adela Lee, has been furthering silk road studies in the United States and China since the 1990s. In addition to sponsoring seminars and scholarly expeditions and archaeological service along the Silk Road in the People's Republic of China, it maintains Silk Road house in Berkeley California. A cultural and educational centre that coordinates lectures and other Silk Road activities in the San Francisco - Berkeley bay and Palo alto areas .
Exercises
Multiple Choice Questions
1. The term Silk Road was coined in _______
Ans: 1877
2.Dunhuang caves are in china's _______ province.
Ans: Gansu
3. UNESCO inaugurated the Silk Road in the year _____.
Ans:1988
4. Nobody has made greater contribution in the Silk Road then ______.
Ans: Sir Aurel Stein
5. United States and China started collaborative work on Silk Road from ______.
Ans: 1990
