SILK ROAD, THE

Illustrated with drawings, manuscripts, paintings and artifacts, this historical journey through the byways of the old Silk Road is a beautifully rendered tribute to the thousands of years in which these routes served as the center of trade. In reality, as Wood, head of the Chinese section at the British Library, explains, merchandise passing from Central Asia to Europe crossed over a large variety of routes before arriving at its destination, and "the number of travelers who actually traversed the full length of the Silk Roads was always very small." But the importance of the Silk Road is demonstrated by the vast cultural and religious movements that either began or flourished around it, and which are related in historical detail by the author, who traces the road to its origins as far back as Alexander the Great. This is a rich, and richly illustrated, history.