Ch 7: Networks of Communication and Exchange The Silk Road A Origins and Operations 1 Location of Parthians (people from east

of the Caspian Sea) on threshold of Central Asia and sharing customs w/ steppe nomads father to the east helped foster Silk Road 2 Chinese general credited as originator of overland trade w/ western lands + introducing whole garden of new plants/trees to China 3 Long distance trade fitted people of the steppes more than Chinese II The Sasanid Empire A ( ) s , s s ( ) I Cities in Iran were small walled communities (military strongpoints) rather than centers of population/production 2 Sasanids Zoroastrian faith; Parthians Christian (both practiced intolerance) 3 Christian pawns prosecuted by Byzantine kings, patronized (protected) by Sasanid kings B The Impact of the Silk Road 1 As trade became more important, people settled in trading cities and surrounding farm villages 2 Chariot warfare + use of mounted bowmen spread from C. Asia III The Indian Ocean Maritime System 1

A (
1 2

s , s

Trade network across Indian Ocean and S. China Sea Trade took place in: S. China Sea, Chinese and Malays dominated trade; E coast of India to islands of SEA, Indians and Malays maintraders; and W coast of India to Persian Gulf and E. coast of Africa Differences in sail shape, how the ships were built, and sailing styles (never venturing out of sight of land/going into empty ocean) between Mediterranean sailors and Indian Ocean vessels Traders of Indian Ocean seldom retained political ties with their homelands

B Origins of Contact and Trade

1 1 2 3 Madagascar people came from SEA Indian Ocean ports isolated; Eastern India had populated ports Sailors often married local women in port cities. Women introduced men to customs and attitudes that spread and mixed; Persian, Arab, Indian, and Malay seafarers often conceal mixed heritages C The Impact of Indian Ocean Trade

IV Routes Across the Sahara A Early Saharan Cultures

1 2 3 4

Similar to today's W. Africans; customs depicted and breeds of cattle strongly suggest some southern cultural patterns originated in the Sahara. Horse herders succeeded cattle herders. Drawings of chariots, none actually found Romans may have inaugurated important trans-Saharan trade. a b May be instead related to spread of camel domestication Rock art supports camel thesis

5 1 2

Native camels probably died out before era of domestication; new ones from Arabia Southern trades exchanged salt for forest products Roman colonists supplied Italy w/ agricultural products

B Trade Across the Sahara

V Sub Saharan Africa A A Challenging Geography 1 Southern Sahara to Cape of Good Hope: Steppes, savanna, tropical rain forest, savanna, steppe/desert, demperate highlands Cultural heritages shared by elites (called great traditions) typically include a written language, common legal/belief systems, ethical codes, and other intellectual attitudes Local customs and beliefs called small traditions Sub-Saharan Africa most diverse than any other cultural region of the first millennium CE, lower overall population density; allowed for societies and polities to form and reform and a substantial amount of space separated different groups. Music played important role in social rituals (as did wearing masks) Migrating populations from Saharan region moved to Sahel as a result of melting European glaciers; initial incubation center for Pan-African cultural patterns Agriculture common between equator and Sahara early 2nd millennium BC Migration of Bantu-speakers likely mechanism for the southward spread of iron Use of iron tools to clear forests/plant crops; actions established economic basis for new societies capable of sustaining much denser populations than before

B The Development of Cultural Unity 1 2 3

C African Cultural Characteristics 1 2

D The Advent of Iron and the Bantu Migrations 1 2 3

VI The Spread of Ideas A Ideas and Material Evidence 1 2 1 SEA eating pig highly ritualized, reserved for special occasions Nile swamps: Pig = evil god Set, eating prohibited Monks, missionaries, and pilgrims spread Buddhism via Silk Road or ships across Indian Ocean

B The Spread of Buddhism

2 3

Theravada Buddhism (teachings of the elder) maintained Buddha's earliest teachings; maintained ultimate goal of the religion(only available to monks) is nirvana Mahayana Buddhism (great vehicle) stressed goal of becoming bodhisattva: person who attains nirvana but chooses to remain in human company to help/guide others Armenian kings initially favored Zoroastrianism, invention of alphabet opened way to wider spread of Christianity

C The Spread of Christianity 1