Trans-Saharan Trade

Many of us can remember the movie on Africa that we watched last week. Throughout the telling of how some cities were created and the involvment of the Europeans the narrator told us a lot about their form of trade. We were introduced to their innerworkings of trading cattle between the wealthy and the working, but we were also introduced to a cross-cultural trade of gold. With this post I decided to examine just how the African's were able to trade their gold and what they would recieve in return.

With this examination I quickly found out that the Trans-Saharan Trade would give me many answers to most of my questions.

It is said that the Trans-Saharan trade did not begin until the eighth century AD. This cultural and commerical exchange between Western Africa and the Mediterranean world occurred in many different parts of Africa. Here are two...

Libyan tribe of Garamantes

The people of this tribe would travel in horse-pulled chariots through the desert. Their tracks were leading to the Niger Bend and a theory was created that they carried West African gold and ivory to the markets of Carthage and Rome.

Umayyid caliphate

In this vast area Northern Africa became a part of the Islamic world. It was a solid market that used gold as the main monetary system. This means that gold was a precious metal to the people of the Islamic world.

http://www.smi.uib.no/paj/Masonen.html

After reading about some of the wonderful ways of the African people I hope you are intrigued to learn more. As always, it was a pleasure, but now I am off to pass out candy to the adorable tricker-treater's.

Happy Halloween!

Determination: The Zhang Qian Story

When I think of determination I think of someone who, even after great turmoil and challenge, has found the strength and will power to prevail. When I tried thinking of someone who encompassed the quality of being determined, I instantly thought of Zhang Qian and his diplomatic journey. He was a Chinese explorer during the 2nd Century and under the rule of the Han dynasty.
During his time as an explorer, he was sent by the emperor of the Han dynasty to go on a Diplomatic mission to the western side of China. He eagerly accepted this honorable mission. His mission was cut short upon being taken as a hostage. After many years of being held hostage, he managed to escape and continued his journey, and traveled throughout northern India.
In 125 B.C. he was able to return to the emperor with great, unexpected news. Throughout his travels, after being held captive in India, he was able to reveal much needed trade information to the emperor. He revealed that goods were being traded throughout previously unknown lands and peoples. His discovery aided in the Chinese trade revolution through use of the Silk Road.
His determination to press on despite the fact of being held captive, led to the advance in trade. No one really knew at that time the impact that trade would inevitably have on China and consequently the entire world.
Thanks Zhang Qian...your efforts are definitely appreciated and applauded!

What has happened to the Silk Roads?

We learned much about the Silk Roads this past week, with lecture in class as well as from the Ch. 8 from the Strayer text. Yet, I noticed that much was not discussed with whats happening now to this ancient cross-cultural contact.

When colonies were growing in interest, the silk roads were once again becoming interesting in the late 19th century to early 20th. Many imperialist countries such as Great Britain, Russia and Japan joined to compete for this area. This was known as the Great Game. A variety of people came to participate. Such as diplomats, soldiers, scientists, achaeologists, adventureres and others came to play the game. All of these kinds of people wanted to know what treasures lied in this thousands years-old network of trading and communication.

Albert Von Le Coq was one of these adventurers. This archaeologist found and carved out precious cave paintings in Bezeklik and Kharakhojo and was able to find ancient manuscripts. Von Le Coq claimed he was "saving" these articfacts from vandalism, although it appeared he was robbing the caves. It did not matter. The bombings in World War II destroyed much of his collection.

Another achaeologist from Xinjiang, a Uyghur nationalist, participated in number of excavations in this area. Finding out that the Chinese government however, held top positions in the government and economy, joined an underground movement which was after more autonomy from the Chinese government as well as nationalism. He became a part of a number of demonstrations, including the Tiananmen protest movement in 1989. He has hope however, due to the continuing reliance on oil found in this area including many of the "stan" countries (Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan) as well as Mongolia, that these factors could provide the Uyghur with the upper hand in the economy and will increase trade.

It's important to know what the Silk Roads offered between 500-1500, yet is it even more important to know the affects these connections have now? The culture of the Silk Roads offer so much to the present: Political history, ancient art, geography, economic institutions, religion and so much more. Learning from this ancient past will benefit us plenty. The fact that the Silk Roads are still in existence today and still provide to humankind is a wonderful and interesting concept.

Thanks for reading! :)

http://www.aasianst.org/EAA/silkroad.htm

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSmZdyReX0t-bwJwqGw-WhvGqVYrlf-eJGQsrP4oZM2H89-JNo_jgaoNCv_t23ZsWohYWrAkIoGfYWs_FdriTJVGFX-YYPqwFkHTh0_pjqW3wt0njsBlKVWfBVZe0W7kxa6r7Jpu0GSMOw/s320/turfanlecoqlg.jpg

SIlk Road

One of the first main long distance trade routes started in China and central Asia around the 2nd century BCE. It was later named the Silk Road because silk was the main trade product that traveled throughout Eurasia. It was started by a man named Zhang Qian. This system of trade was very helpful to the economy and society, and lasted for a long time.
There were many different routes one could take and still be apart of the silk road. One would be the sea route, where they would start going South and travel along the water. Another would be starting on land in China and going West, until you hit the Taklimakan desert, which literelly means “who goes in does not come out” (..I would avoid that route as much as possible). At this point, it would break off into two routes to go around the Taklimakan desert and then would meet back up and continue West. (http://www.travelchinaguide.com/silk-road/culture.htm)
Silk was not the only thing being traded. From China, the would also be spices such as netmeg, pepper, giner and cinnamon. Also, they would send pearls and porcelain. The the West side, Rome would send a lot of jewlery, perfume, glassware wool, wine, olive oil and gold. (from lecture)