The people who actually conducted Silk Road trade were merchants who led camel caravans across deserts and steppes. Among them, the Sogdians of Central Asia were the greatest carriers of Silk Road trade during the 7th and 8th centuries.
Who Were the Sogdians?
- An Iranian-speaking people whose homeland was around present-day Uzbekistan and Tajikistan (the region of Sogdiana)
- Engaged in east–west trade from oasis cities such as Samarkand, Bukhara, and Panjakent
- Used their own Sogdian script, which became the source of the later Uyghur, Mongolian, and Manchu scripts
- Maintained settlements in China (Tang China), transmitted goods, religions, music, and dance from the Western Regions to China
The Prosperity of Samarkand
- Samarkand: The largest oasis city in Central Asia, located in present-day Uzbekistan
- Afrasiab Palace murals: 7th-century murals depicting diverse peoples, including Tang envoys, East Africans, and Turks, have been discovered and convey the international exchange of the period
- It was rebuilt and prospered each time it was conquered by Alexander the Great (329 BCE), Arab armies (712 CE), and Genghis Khan (1220 CE)
Key Points
The Sogdian script is extremely important in world history from the perspective of the “spread of writing.” The lineage Sogdian script → Uyghur script → Mongolian script → Manchu script shows that many major scripts of northern Eurasia originated from the Sogdian script. Sogdian cultural influence was also significant; for example, the “Hu Xuan dance,” a dance of Sogdian origin, became popular during the Tang dynasty in China.
The Sogdian script is extremely important in world history from the perspective of the “spread of writing.” The lineage Sogdian script → Uyghur script → Mongolian script → Manchu script shows that many major scripts of northern Eurasia originated from the Sogdian script. Sogdian cultural influence was also significant; for example, the “Hu Xuan dance,” a dance of Sogdian origin, became popular during the Tang dynasty in China.
The Reality of Caravan Trade
A single caravan consisted of several dozen to several hundred camels and traveled for several months to several years, stopping at desert oasis cities along the way. Caravanserais were established in each oasis city and served as places for merchants to rest, replenish supplies, and exchange information.
Practice
- Explain the influence of the Sogdians on later writing systems, giving specific script names.
- Give the geographical and historical reasons why Samarkand was considered a key center of Central Asia.
- Explain what a caravanserai was.