HIST 9016 - The Silk Roads

3 cr.

This course presents an overview of the history of cultural and economic exchange across Eurasia associated with the “Silk Roads” from about the beginning of the Common Era to 1500. It will explore topics such as the physical, cultural, and political geography of Inner Asia, the patterns of interaction between sedentary and nomadic peoples, the spread of religion, culture, and technology, and most particularly, the mechanisms and products of East-West overland trade. This seminar course will examine a wide variety of primary and secondary sources, as well as material culture evidence, in order to assess the world historical significance of the Silk Roads in the human experience.