I learned a lot, but one of the most surprising facts for me was that it did not consist of one continuous route. By avoiding the centre of the desert by taking various routes to the north and south, they were able to branch off and travel to the north and west, as well as going south into India.
The chapter describing how silk is made was equally as fascinating, learning just how tedious it was to take care of the silkworms and handle their cocoons. Silk was clearly the most famous export from China, but also the intense process involved in shaping Jade caught my eye. First spending the time and energy creating these products, and then sending merchants halfway across Asia in order to sell them, was an extraordinary feat... especially when you put it into perspective by comparing it to our modern-day system with Ebay and Amazon.
Studying for the map quiz will definitely come in handy when reading these texts, as right now the names of the cities mean next to nothing. The paintings are incredibly interesting as well, such as the women diving for Jade.
Overall, a very intriguing reading which lays down a good foundational knowledge of the Silk Road.
