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The '''Silk Road''' was an ancient trade route from East [[China]] to Central [[Asia]] and [[Europe]]. The Silk Road was influential because it brought material goods like [[grapes]], [[cotton]], [[chestnut]]s, [[lucerne]], [[pomegranate]]s, as well as [[Buddhism]] to China; and it led to the westward spread of Chinese technology like silkworm breeding, iron smelting, and papermaking.

The '''Silk Road''' was an ancient trade route from East [[China]] to Central [[Asia]] and [[Europe]]. The Silk Road was influential because it brought material goods like [[grapes]], [[cotton]], [[chestnut]]s, [[lucerne]], [[pomegranate]]s, as well as [[Buddhism]] to China; and it led to the westward spread of Chinese technology like silkworm [[breeding]], iron smelting, and papermaking.

The Silk road ran for 5,000 miles across Asia and increased trade in silk and fine goods between Asia and Europe. Merchants and their goods did not travel the entire length, however. Approximately every ten miles, a trading post was set up to facilitate the exchange of commodities. Oak would be exchanged for noodles, noodles for pomegranates, pomegranates for slaves, etc<ref>John Merrik, "The Longest Road." Oxford, 1994</ref>. This arrangement caused many problems, as it was not uncommon for a landowner to order a shipment of iron ore from Greece and several months later receive a cartload of rotten vegetables. Nominally, the goods were still of equal value and landowners would usually take what they could get, resulting in curiosities such as a fortress in Kuwait made from banana leaves, and a garden path in Southern India paved with salmon<ref>Alexander McArthur, "Oddities of the Silk Road, 1999</ref>.

The Silk road ran for 5,000 miles across Asia and increased trade in silk and fine goods between Asia and Europe. Merchants and their goods did not travel the entire length, however. Approximately every ten miles, a trading post was set up to facilitate the exchange of commodities. Oak would be exchanged for noodles, noodles for pomegranates, pomegranates for slaves, etc<ref>John Merrik, "The Longest Road." Oxford, 1994</ref>. This arrangement caused many problems, as it was not uncommon for a landowner to order a shipment of iron ore from Greece and several months later receive a cartload of rotten vegetables. Nominally, the goods were still of equal value and landowners would usually take what they could get, resulting in curiosities such as a fortress in Kuwait made from banana leaves, and a garden path in Southern India paved with salmon<ref>Alexander McArthur, "Oddities of the Silk Road, 1999</ref>.