During the last 1,000 years, the vast and highly diverse area that stretches from the Mediterranean across to Sind in Pakistan has been an extraordinary melting pot of cultural and aesthetic diversity. Islam embraced this diversity and translated it into cultural dialogues, which the development of the silk routes facilitated.

For centuries, Chinese culture had a profound influence on the Turkish art creating a kind of cultural synthesis. Relations between China and Turkey were particularly strong after the defeat of the Monguls in the mid-8^th century AD, culminating in a peak in the 13^th century AD. This era coincided with the Ming dynasty in China and as a consequence, Chinese-influenced motifs and colours the from artworks appeared more and more on Anatolian Turkish art, both explicitly and subtly, with a range of styles, materials and objects.

The cultural history of most countries in South and Southeast Asia was closely linked to trade and trade routes at some point. Evidence also indicates that many communities engaged in commercial activities from prehistoric times. Around the beginning of the Christian era, a great expansion of international trade occurred, which was due to the demand for exotic and luxury goods from both Rome and China.

From earliest times, materials that were rare or non-existent were imported in Mesopotamia. This exchange of goods was facilitated by the creation of several trade routes; two that ran from Turkey, passing through either Syria or Iran, the latter becoming known as the “Royal Road’.

The 9^th century ports of Ko Kho Khao and Laem Pho in Southern Thailand are uniquely rich in fragments of Chinese porcelain and Middle Eastern glass and glazed pottery. These two “boom towns” yield more Middle Eastern material than any other sites in Southeast Asia. And no site outside China contains such a quantity and variety of late Tang wares.

As merchants continuously expanded their markets, strong commercial, religious and cultural exchanges developed between the inhabitants of Tamil Nadu (India) and Southeast Asian countries. Reference to these exchanges can be found in literature and on inscriptions dating back to the beginning of the Christian era. The flow of Buddhist and Hindu religions spread across boundaries, for example via royal ambassadors being sent from China to erect a Buddhist stupa in Tamil Nadu.

Beads and animal remains further attest to the thriving range of maritime activities in Southeast Asia during the pre- and protohistoric periods. Finds also include balangays, which attest to Filipino ingenuity in boat building and seamanship. With significant maritime trading taking place, a wide diversity of goods have been found, including large quantities of non-Philippine low- and high-fired ceramic shards from a variety of objects. The high-fired ceramics can be traced back to China, Thailand, Vietnam and the Middle East.

Beads are some of the few remaining traded objects to be found along the immense silk routes. Like ceramics, they also reveal innovations in the development of their means of production, as well as changing tastes and uses. Four types of beads have been found in Southeast Asia: 1. Indo-Pacific monochrome beads (2^nd century BC to 1200 AD), which were made by Indians and Tamils; 2. Segmented, folded and mosaic eye beads (9^th – 11^th century AD), which originated in the Islamic West; 3.

As the list of merchandise travelling on the Silk Road diversified, so too did the means of transport. By the 1^st century AD, maritime routes emerged, reflecting developments in shipbuilding and sailing techniques. Consequently, Thailand came to play a pivotal role with its geographical position in South East Asia and ports on either side of the Malay peninsular.

The spread and influence of Buddhism via the early trade routes throughout Southeast Asia was surprisingly pervasive, particularly in Thailand and Indonesia, where there were close interactions between Buddhist establishments and trading groups. Excavated objects of Indian origin that feature a range of classic Buddhist symbolism include pottery, ornaments, ivory objects, carnelian, and terracotta seals. From the 2^nd century B.C.