The Silk Road: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions)

The phrase "silk road" evokes vivid scenes of merchants leading camel caravans across vast stretches to trade exotic goods in glittering Oriental bazaars, of pilgrims braving bandits and frozen mountain passes to spread their faith across Asia. Looking at the reality behind these images, this Very Short Introduction illuminates the historical background against which the silk road flourished, shedding light on the importance of old-world cultural exchange to Eurasian and world history.

James A. Millward is Professor of Intersocietal History at the Edmund Walsh School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University. His books include Eurasian Crossroads: A History of Xinjiang and Beyond the Pass: Economy, Ethnicity and Empire in Qing Central Asia, 1759-1864. He has served on the boards of the Association for Asian Studies and the Central Eurasian Studies Society and was president of the latter in 2010.