Why was the Silk Road named so?

The term "Great Silk Road" is associated with a precious commodity at that time - silk, which introduced two different worlds: the West and the East. For the first time this term was used in 1877 by the German scientist Ferdinand Richthofen in his classic scientific work "China. read more

So he called the system of roads connecting various parts of the vast Eurasian continent. The Great Silk Road began in Rome and through the Mediterranean went to the Syrian city of Gyropil, and from there through Mesopotamia, Northern Iran, Central Asia led to the oases of East Turkestan and further to China. read more

Because silk was one of the most popular trade products transported on the road. read more

Because silk was the major trade product which traveled on this road, it was named the Silk Road in 1877 by Ferdinand von Richthofen – a well-known German geographer. This ancient route not only circulated goods, but also exchanged the splendid cultures of China, India, Persia, Arabia, Greek and Rome. read more