The Silk Road was a network of trade routes that connected Asia with the Mediterranean and European world for more than 1,500 years. The Silk Road contributed to the exchange of goods and ideas among diverse cultures. The following items were traded on the Silk Road:

• Silk: Chinese silk was sold to Central Asia, Iran, Arabia, and the Roman Empire (Europe) along the Silk Road. Silk was the favorite product along the Silk Road. Chinese silk was regarded as a treasure in ancient Central Asia, West Asia, Africa, and Europe.

• Spices: Spices were one of the most valuable commodities traded on the Silk Road. They included cinnamon, pepper, nutmeg, and cloves.

• Tea: Tea was traded along the Southern Silk Road, which extended from the city of Chengdu in Sichuan Province, China, south through Yunnan into India and the Indochina Peninsula, and extended westwards into Tibet. This was an important route for the tea trade throughout South China and Southeast Asia but also contributed to the spread of religions like Taoism and Buddhism across the region.

• Porcelain: China exported porcelain to Japan, the Korean peninsula, Southeast Asia, west and central Asia, east and north Africa, and Europe.

• Precious metals: Precious metals such as gold and silver were traded on the Silk Road.

• Ivory: Ivory was traded on the Silk Road.

• Cotton: Central Asia’s cotton was traded on the Silk Road.

• Wool: Woolen goods were traded on the Silk Road.

• Rice: Rice was traded on the Silk Road.

• Ideas: The Silk Road was not only a trade route but also a route for cultural exchange. It transmitted cultural exchange including theatrical performance, dance, and music art. The Great Silk Road played a major role in the dissemination of religions.

Goods were often traded through bartering, and camels were the means of transport on the overland Silk Road. Merchants traded their goods in intermediate cities, such as Rey (in modern-day Tehran) in Persia.