Steppe Route

Eurasian Steppe Route
Precursor of the Silk Road
View of the Kazakhstan steppe
Route information
Time periodUpper paleolithic to dynastic ages after ca. 2000 BCE
Cultural significanceInfluences stretched west to east from the Mediterranean to the Korean peninsula and Japan
Known forfacilitating trade and cultural exchange between nomadic steppe communities
Related routesSilk Road, Oasis Route, Maritime Route

The Steppe Route was an ancient overland route through the Eurasian Steppe that was an active precursor of the Silk Road. Silk and horses were traded as key commodities; secondary trade included furs, weapons, musical instruments, precious stones (turquoise, lapis lazuli, agate, nephrite) and jewels. This route extended for approximately 10,000 km (6,200 mi). Trans-Eurasian trade through the Steppe Route preceded the conventional date for the origins of the Silk Road by at least two millennia.

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.