Significance of the great silk road in the era of late antiquity and the middle ages

Name: Alena Shapshay

Group: A

Specialization: Finance

Course: second

ESSAY

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE GREAT SILK ROAD IN THE ERA OF LATE ANTIQUITY AND THE MIDDLE AGES. KAZAKHSTAN ROUTES OF THE GREAT SILK ROAD

The Great Silk Road made a great contribution to the entire world history and to the history of Kazakhstan in particular. The Great Silk Road, a transcontinental route of antiquity and the Middle Ages between East and West, began functioning as a regular trade and diplomatic artery from the middle of the II century BC and existed until the XIV century, before the opening of sea routes. Although the routes of the Silk Road have changed, there are two main routes connecting the East and the West:

 – southern road – from the north of China through Central Asia to the Middle East and Northern India;

– the northern road – from the north of China through the Pamirs and the Aral Sea to the Lower Volga and the Black Sea basin.

There were separate sections of the Great Silk Road:

• The «Lapis Lazuli Way» -- connected Central Asia and the Middle East with the Mediterranean and India,
• The «Jade way» -- connected east turkestan with china,
• The « Steppe way» -- from the black sea coast to the shores of the don, from there to the sarmatians in the southern urals, and then to the irtysh region and to zaisan island.

On the territory of Kazakhstan, the Great Silk Road originated at the borders of China.The main route of the Great Silk Road on the territory of Kazakhstan ran through the south of the country, from the border of China, trade caravans moved through the cities of Sairam, Yassy, Otrar, Taraz further to Central Asia, Persia, the Caucasus and from there to Europe. The main route of the Silk Road in this region ran through Semirechye and Southern Kazakhstan. The first revival of this area occurred in the second half of the VI century, when Semirechye and Southern Kazakhstan became part of the Turkic Khaganate, a huge nomadic empire that stretched from Korea to the Black Sea. At the end of the VI century, the Khaganate splits into two parts - Eastern Turkic and Western Turkic.The Silk Road through Semirechye and Southern Kazakhstan functioned until the XIV century, until civil strife and wars destroyed the cities. The last revival occurred in the middle of the XIII century, when trade and diplomatic embassies moved along it to Karakorum, the capital of the Mongol Empire.

The Great Silk Road was a kind of pivot that held both the West and the East thanks to international trade. The defining role belonged to the trailblazing merchants. An active role in trade was played by the Chinese, who carried their country's goods for sale to neighboring countries. Chinese silk, porcelain, jade products, jewelry – mandatory finds during the excavations of ancient settlements of Kazakhstan. After the fall of Sasanian Iran, merchants who spoke all kinds of languages followed the conquerors.

Silk remained the main and constant subject of trade, which, along with gold, actually turned into an international currency. He simultaneously went as commodity, as a tribute, and a gift, and a salary to the soldiers. State debts were also paid to them. It is quite natural that both milk and part of the goods transported along the Silk Road settled in the cities that were on the highway, including on the Kazakhstan section. The archaeological finds found here are a vivid evidence of this. Carpets were exported from Iran to the East, to the steppe and China. The most common goods on the Great Silk Road were various items made of bronze, glass and ceramics