The Silk Way is a term used to describe the many diverse trade routes to Europe from Asia during the first millennium to the middle of the second millennium in our era.
The origin of the Silk Way was from the capital of China which was at that time Changa (Xian), then it divided into northern and southern routes passing through Central Asia, then crossed the plateaus of present day Iran towards Antioch and Tire cities. The trade routes of the Silk Way were primarily from China, through Mongolia, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan and Iran, (then known as the lands of Midiya) and other neighbouring countries, although of course many borders have changed over the years, so it is not precisely possible to define the routes according to what we know of the present day country states. Also the Silk Way trade routes included land and maritime routes between countries. In fact many different routes were used by different traders of various goods, at different times, but the general term used for the routes on which they travelled by was the Silk Way, from East to West and vice versa, Silk being the most infamous and valuable of the produce traded.
The many different peoples of all these diverse lands were involved in trade and commerce and contributed to the spread of culture, music, information and technology from East to West and vice versa. Examples of such trade goods were barit, silk, tea, metalwares, jewellery, knowledge about mathematics, as well as ceramics and painted products. Manufactured products were also traded such as the magnetic compass, and the printing press. Musical instruments were also traded and also used by travellers which helped the spread of culture and musical styles between countries.
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