A Walk Through Central Asia
Hundreds of years ago, the caravan moving from China and across Central Asia to the Middle East and to Europe has made trading of local wares possible. The journey takes months and businessmen travel through harsh weather and terrain conditions just to sell their wares in cities that they pass by. One of the most important items transported on the Silk Road. It was an esteemed item in the royalties of Europe, but these are not the only items sold or exchanged in this trading. Animals such as horses from the west were in demand in the East, mules, camels and dogs were also traded along with plants, medicines and jewelries.
Because of the length of travel that the caravan has to make to transport and trade their goods, many resting areas where built in the Gobi Desert all the way to Turkey and Syria. In this stretch, you can also find the oldest church in the world – the Dura-Europos in Syria, the earliest identified Christian house church. To this day there are remains of the church still standing and recently, Dura-Europos’ western wall was restored. The churches and prayer buildings along the Silk Road has doubled as houses and resting areas for the caravan. They provided basic shelter for the humans as well as the animals they have with them. Discovering the Silk Road and the trading system is one of the most interesting tours in Central Asia.
Photo credits: commons.wikimedia.org