It is no coincidence that Venice is emblematic of the profound enrichment, interweaving and diversity of cultures, science, philosophies, religions and art that The Silk Route wove together along its course. Other silk routes acted as arteries for change too, including an overland silk route that linked the Orient to the Occident. This route is famous for tales – whether true or false – of famous individuals, including Alexander the Great, Jesus Christ, Marco Polo, travelling on it to spread their influence.
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-8th century AD, culminating in a peak in the 13th 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.
Jewellery forms an integral part of Silk Road culture. Even marauding crusaders were seduced by the lure of and the quantity of jewellery not to mention silks, spices and perfumes that travelled along the various silk routes via the central Asian region, including Tibet, North India, Nepal, Bhutan and Myanmar, which became both a massive crossroads and meeting point. As the number of caravans transporting goods increased, so too did the amount of silk, precious stones, jewellery and other precious objects pouring into the region.
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.
Iraq has been a celebrated centre of silk production since Assyrian times. The Iraqi cities, Basrah, Kufa, Anbar, Hira, Nu’maniya, Hazza and Mosul, are all famed for their silks. A key reason for this successful status was the number of Yemeni who settled in Iraq, who were famous for their craftsmanship in textiles. Over time other materials were woven with silk, including cotton and wool, to create new fabrics and garments.
The trade and subsequent cultural contact between the Indian subcontinent and South Asian countries led to India having a very profound influence on politics, religion, culture and society in the region. Scholars refer to this phenomenon as “Indianisation “ or the “Indianised States of Southeast Asia”.
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.
Contrary to widespread beliefs, the Mongolian conquest of Central Asia in the 13th century AD did not extinguish existing pictorial traditions. Thus, for instance, the art of book illuminations was developed under the Mongols who used it for their own purposes. During the Il-Khanid dynasty, an important school of painting was founded in Tabriz, and many books were illustrated in a new style which incorporated elements of Mongolian and Chinese art.
Many petroglyphs in Central Asia and neighbouring areas feature anthropomorphic figures with heads surrounded by rays and widely spread fingers. Some of these images, which can also be found on ceramics, represent headgear or masks made from bird feathers. The “sunheaded” figures were often accompanied by horses and chariots. They certainly spring from Indo-European myths of solar deities, especially Mitra, who appears in the Rigveda and Avesta.
