It was incredibly dangerous to travel along the Silk Road
Silk Road
The Silk Road was a network of trade routes which connected the East and West, and was central to the economic, cultural, political, and religious interactions between these regions from the 2nd century BCE to the 18th century. The Silk Road primarily refers to the land routes connecting Ea…
What were the dangers faced along the Silk Road?
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What were some risks traveling on the Silk Road?
What were some dangers of traveling the Silk Road? It was incredibly dangerous to travel along the Silk Road. You faced desolate white-hot sand dunes in the desert, forbidding mountains, brutal winds, and poisonous snakes. There was one nice section, called the Gansu Corridor, a relatively fertile strip that ran along the base of one of the ...
Why is it dangerous to travel on the Silk Road?
What was bad about the Silk Road? The Silk Roads contributed a lot to the Black Plague. Bandits and thievery were a big problem as well. Bandits would raid merchant caravans and outposts, and often murdered the merchants as well, which made traveling the Silk Roads alone very dangerous. Why was the Silk Road dangerous?
What do the bandits do on the Silk Road?
Videoclip 2: Story of bandits on the Silk Road by Ahir. "We are bandits, my company and I, you may say it's an odd career choice, but my friend I ask you why? The pay is great and there is no shortage of work on the road upon which we are based. Merchants from east and west travel across the Silk Road, their caravans carry many goods, from ...
What were the threats of the Silk Road?
Bandits were a common threat along the Silk Road. The bandits learned that not only silk was being traveled through those roads, but also gold, precious stones, glass, and other materials from China. Click to see full answer.
Why did Silk Road shut down?
Silk Road 2.0 shut down by FBI and Europol on 6 November 2014. Silk Road 3.0 went offline in 2017 due to loss of funds. Silk Road was an online black market and the first modern darknet market, best known as a platform for selling illegal drugs. Similar Asks.
Where did the Silk Road meet again?
The roads met again 1400 miles west at Kashgar. But between these two oases lay the Silk Road's most dangerous terrain. Among the threats were starvation, thirst, bandits, and ferocious sandstorms that were known to bury entire caravans. There are scenes that show travelers on the Silk Road, and some portray bandits.
What are the most dangerous animals on the Silk Road?
Dangerous animals. Scorpions, black widow spiders and venomous snakes all live in desert areas throughout the Silk Road region. Take care, but do not cancel your plans because of it – so far, we have not heard of a tourist getting bitten.
Why is drunk driving declining in the Silk Road?
Drunk driving is declining because young men are following the rules of Islam more strictly. But it is still common. Accept that drivers may break any and every rule in existence.
Is the Silk Road safe?
Traveling the Silk Road – is it safe? There are some things to watch out for, but in general, it is not less safe than anywhere else in the world except Japan, Norway and Switzerland. Most travelers comment on the friendliness and hospitality of the people they meet. It really is exceptional, and goes for every country we discuss.
Is it safe to drink water in Uzbekistan?
Uzbekistan is another place where you might be running to the toilet from a change of diet. Water in cities is considered safe to drink by locals, but you might want to filter it. Outside of the cities, use your own sound judgement.
Can you eat marmots in Mongolia?
In Kyrgyzstan and Mongolia, people might invite you for a barbecued marmot (it’s not common, but it might happen). This is generally fine, but be aware that marmots carry fleas that in turn carry the bubonic plague and, while treatable nowadays, this is sometimes lethal. More tips in the health section.
What is the Silk Road?
Today, parts of the Silk Road are listed on UNESCO ’s World Heritage List. A tourist looks around the ancient city of Kharanaq, Iran. Towns such as these played a crucial role in the operation and success of the Silk Road. (1400s-1800s) period during which Europeans traveled the world by ocean in search of trade.
What goods did the Silk Road bring?
Other favorite commodities from Asia included jade and other precious stones, porcelain, tea, and spices. In exchange, horses, glassware, textile s, and manufactured goods traveled eastward.
Why is the Silk Road called the Silk Road?
Although the trade network is commonly referred to as the Silk Road, some historians favor the term Silk Routes because it better reflects the many paths taken by traders. The Silk Road extended approximately 6,437 kilometers (4,000 miles) across some of the world’s most formidable landscapes, including the Gobi Desert and the Pamir Mountains.
Why were robbers common?
Robbers were common. To protect themselves, traders joined together in caravan s with camels or other pack animals. Over time, large inns called caravanserai s cropped up to house travelling merchants. Few people traveled the entire route, giving rise to a host of middlemen and trading posts along the way.
When was the Silk Road invented?
German geographer and traveler Ferdinand von Richthofen first used the term “silk road” in 1877 C.E. to describe the well-traveled pathway of goods between Europe and East Asia. The term also serves as a metaphor for the exchange of goods and ideas between diverse cultures. Although the trade network is commonly referred to as the Silk Road, ...
Who was the most famous person on the Silk Road?
One of the most famous travelers of the Silk Road was Marco Polo (1254 C.E. –1324 C.E.). Born into a family of wealthy merchants in Venice, Italy, Marco traveled with his father to China (then Cathay) when he was just 17 years of age.
Where did the Black Death spread?
Some research suggests that the Black Death, which devastated Europe in the late 1340s C.E., likely spread from Asia along the Silk Road. The Age of Exploration gave rise to faster routes between the East and West, but parts of the Silk Road continued to be critical pathways among varied cultures.
What were the dangers of the Silk Road?
More likely dangers would be to have lack of water, sickness, bad weather, and death of cattle.
What were the dangers of the 3 main routes?
When traveling one of the 3 main routes: Northern, Central, and Southern, travelers faced desolate white-hot sand dunes in the desert, forbidding mountains, brutal winds, poisonous insects, and reptiles, not to mention bandits and pirates.
What are the dangers of the Taklimakan Desert?
There were so many challenges, like the lions, or the Pamir Mountains, and the Taklimakan Desert. Lack of water and food, deserts including the takilmakan desert, difficult mountains, and bandits.
Why was the Silk Road named the Silk Road?
The silk Road was named the (silk road) because Chinese silk was the main thing traded. But porcelain, spices, dates, tea, jewels, and perfumes were all traded too. Europeans were hungry for exotic things from China and India. (China and India were wealthier than European countries then.)
Why was the desert dangerous?
it was dangerous because of the robbers , bad weather, lack of weather, and diaeses and sickness. Depends on where you at in the deserts you face death from heat and mirages. In other places you face falling of cliffs. You face getting your goods stolen, and freezing to death.
Why was the Silk Road important?
It was not paved. It was not even a single route. The Silk Road was a nickname given to any route that led across China to Rome. It was a 4000-mile trip. At one end was China. At the other end was Rome. Each had something the other wanted. Rome had gold and silver and precious gems. China had silk, tea, and spices. The Silk Road was important because not only goods were traded, ideas and culture were carried by the traders.
What were the three main routes on the Silk Road?
The geography was daunting, and bandits were plentiful. There were three main routes: Northern Route – Westward to Black Sea. Central Route – Westward to Persia, Mediterranean Sea, Rome.
What is the Gansu corridor?
There was one nice section, called the Gansu Corridor, a relatively fertile strip that ran along the base of one of the mountains. But, to reach this strip, you had to cross the desert or the mountains. And of course there were always bandits and pirates. Very few traders made the whole trip.
Did the Romans find another civilization hidden over the mountains?
The Romans were not surprised to find another civilization hidden over the mountains. They had been looking for “the Silk People” for a long time. They discovered pieces of silk from the people they conquered. Silk quickly became popular in Rome. But the Romans did not know who was making this wonderful material.
Conflict Areas
Traffic
- Yes, traffic can be quite dangerous in certain places. It is, by far, the biggest threat to your life in the Silk Road region, and tourists die every year in traffic accidents. Drunk driving is declining because young men are following the rules of Islam more strictly. But it is still common. Accept that drivers may break any and every rule in exis...
Police
- Police, especially in Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan, might want to get some money from you for no reason. Should this happen, smiling and acting like you have no idea what they are talking about works wonders. Don’t give them your passport, have a copy on you and say you left the original in your accommodation. The worst that could happen (barring extreme cases) is tha…
Crime and Scams
- Countries on the Silk Road have not developed enough of a tourist industry to have dedicated tourist scammers (outside of the police), with Georgia as the exception. Normal precautions should be heeded. Keep your money close, don’t hang out in shady districts after dark, be aware of whose company you keep. A torch comes in handy as cities and villages are often badly lit at nig…
Not A White Heterosexual Man?
- These are conservative, patriarchal societies with little respect for women and a lot of young, frustrated men milling around. As a woman, you need to be more vigilant than as a man. We have an article with tips for single female travelers (written by single female travelers). We also have articles about racism and sinophobia, travel as LGBT and as a Muslim.
Natural Disasters
- Earthquakes happen across the region. Not much you can do should it happen when you are around besides crawling under a sturdy desk. Landslides, mudslides, avalanches and overflowing rivers are a serious issue in the mountainous regions of Central Asia, one that is getting worse each year due to global warming, melting glaciers at unprecedented speed. Once again, not muc…
Food and Water
- A lot of travelers get sick from eating or drinking something contaminated in the Pamir. Take extra care of your hygiene there. Uzbekistan is another place where you might be running to the toilet from a change of diet. Water in cities is considered safe to drink by locals, but you might want to filter it. Outside of the cities, use your own sound judgement. In Kyrgyzstan and Mongoli…
Dangerous Animals
- Scorpions, black widow spiders and venomous snakes all live in desert areas throughout the Silk Road region. Take care, but do not cancel your plans because of it – so far, we have not heard of a tourist getting bitten. Wolves are numerous across Central Asia, but you are unlikely to meet them if you are an average hiker. Bears live in Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan: especially in the Altai moun…
Pollution
- Amongst the numerous environmental issues Central Asia faces refuses to face, the one for travelers we’d like to highlight is air pollution, especially in Kazakhstan. Ask any oncologist and they will tell you cities like Almaty, Nur-Sultan and Oskemen are simply lethal. Bishkek is also really bad. Travelers with sensitive lungs should plan accordingly.
Terrorism
- We know Caravanistan readers are a clever bunch: independent-minded, well-read, critical thinkers ready to explore and see with their own eyes. So we don’t have to tell you about the inherent bias of mass media in your home country, the fear-mongering, us-vs-them-rhetoric, and how those media’s incessant focus on certain issues (while ignoring others) gives news consumers a skew…