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.
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’.
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.
During the Middle Ages, Baghdad acted as an important crossroads for trade routes (by land, river and sea). It served as a lively hub for trade within the region, and especially with neighbouring Islamic states. Internationally Baghdad served trade routes that extended out into East- and South-East Asia, the Mediterranean and Western Europe, even as far as Eastern Africa. Goods that passed through the city included diamonds, soap, ivory, camel fur, honey etc. Items were often traded in Baghdad and then re-exported, along with locally manufactured goods.
The 9th 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.
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.
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 (2nd century BC to 1200 AD), which were made by Indians and Tamils; 2. Segmented, folded and mosaic eye beads (9th – 11th century AD), which originated in the Islamic West; 3.
