THE ROLE OF CENTRAL ASIA IN THE SILK ROAD NETWORK
Keywords:
Central Asia, Silk Road, Sogdians, Samarkand, Bukhara, trade networks, cultural exchange, religions, caravanserai, nomadic mobility, political infrastructure, archaeological evidenceAbstract
Central Asia served as the vibrant core of the Silk Road network, functioning not merely as a transit corridor but as a dynamic nexus of commerce, culture, and political power. This article explores how Central Asian states, nomadic societies, and especially Sogdian merchants propelled the Silk Road’s economic vitality through trade in silk, spices, livestock, textiles, and precious stones. Beyond commerce, Central Asia facilitated religious and cultural diffusion—Buddhism, Christianity (Nestorian), Zoroastrianism, Manichaeism, and later Islam traversed the region via traders as cultural emissaries. Urban centers like Samarkand, Bukhara, and Penjikent served as cosmopolitan hubs where ideas, art, and technologies intersected. Regional empires fostered stability and infrastructure—caravanserais, roads, and taxation systems—that underpinned long-distance trade. Archaeological finds across the region underline Central Asia’s integral role in mediation and exchange. Far from a passive conduit, Central Asia actively shaped the trajectory of Silk Road history.
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