Afghanistan; The Silk Route And Its Historical Background

Sunday December 17, 2017

Kabul (BNA) The Silk Road is the oldest trade, cultural road that ties Europe to Asia.
It had connected empires of Greece, Rome, Iran, Bakhtar, Koshanids and China. During the reign of Greece and Bakhtar and Koshanids, the central Asia to Kkashghar were parts of Koshanids Empire.
Therefore the silk caravans had to pass through the center of empire and Balkh after Kashghar and move towards Iran and subcontinent.
Since the Koshanids Empire was enough secure than Iran, Greece and Rome who had always been clashing each other, so the Silk Road was always noticed by caravans. The silk road background goes back to over 3500 years BC and its length, reached only in one itinerary to  8000km. Besides being safe and secure, Afghanistan was the shortest way too as today it’s the connecting point of south-east and central Asia. In ancient times Afghanistan was the transit center of the then recognized world. The Chinese caravans had to traverse through Afghanistan and send their merchandizes to Europe and Africa. Since the most important Chinese merchandize was silk, therefore this road was called as the Silk Road. Beside being an economic road, the Silk road was the biggest cultural and transaction road too. The religion of Buddihsm influenced through this way to south-east Asia as today Buddhic temples have been unearthed and discovered in Sixiang, China which their background goes back to 3rd century AD. Until the development of navigation and opening of sea roads, the silk route was unfading since the 9th AD century, due to changes in Europe and Asia, political economic structures as well as developments in navigation and sea transportation, exploitation of silk route became limited and gradually it was abandoned.
The China has launched a big plan project recent years to reactivate this ancient route through three ground, sea and air ways. This project is called “One Belt, one Road” and is being implemented. Afghanistan should allocate the transit center of ground way of silk route. Afghanistan presence in this center has many advantages the first one, Afghanistan the connecting point of east and west and it should be naturally the center of Silk Road. The second one the sub silk routes passing through center of Afghanistan towards Turkmenistan, Iran, India and Pakistan simply on a shortest way. Activation of silk route could help elimination of wars and violence. The silk route has played important role as a bridge among China, European, Asian and African countries for material and morale eastern and western exchanges.   Since 7th to 9th AD centuries exchanges between China and western countries was progressing through this route and unique birds and animals, perfume, emerald, glassware, silver and gold coins, music, dance and clothes of western Asian countries were imported to China and reciprocally Chinese products including technology of paper manufacturing, printing press, earthenware, Chinawares, gunpowder and compass were exported to other territories and had played great role in expansion of the world civilization. 
Karima Malikzada