AFE Special Topic Guide: THE SILK ROAD

Maps of the Silk Roads, 1st Century to 15th Century [Journal of World History]
Maps from the article "The Indian Ocean in Eurasian and African World-Systems before the Sixteenth Century," by Philippe Beaujard, in Journal of World History 16, no. 4
(2005). Reprinted with permission.

The Silk Roads: An Educational Resource [Education About Asia, The Association for Asian Studies]
This article by the City University of New York professor Morris Rossabi appeared in the Spring 1999 issue of Education About Asia magazine.

The International Dunhuang Project: The Silk Road Online [The British Library]
The International Dunhuang Project is "a ground-breaking international collaboration to make information and images of all manuscripts, paintings, textiles and artefacts from Dunhuang and archaeological sites of the Eastern Silk Road freely available on the Internet and to encourage their use through educational and research programs." This website is a truly comprehensive resource for teaching about the Silk Road. See especially the EDUCATION>TEACH section for teaching websites on various topics, including Buddhism on the Silk Road and The Silk Road: Trade, Travel, War and Faith.

From Silk to Oil: Cross-cultural Connections along the Silk Roads [China Institute]
This downloadable curriculum guide provides a comprehensive view of the Silk Roads from the second century BCE to the contemporary period. The curriculum units underscore the patterns and networks of economic activity linking East Asia with the Mediterranean world through Central Asia. Included are five introductory essays, maps, and 23 curriculum units divided into the following five topics:

Art of the Silk Road [University of Washington, Simpson Center for the Humanities]
Online exhibit "organized as part of Silk Road Seattle, a collaborative public education project exploring cultural interaction across Eurasia from the first century BCE to the sixteenth century CE." With text and images organized into four categories: 1) Cultures (with a timeline from 400 BCE to 1600 CE); 2) Religions (Buddhism, Zoroastrianism, Nestorianism, Islam, Manichaeism); 3) Trade (text about trade routes, horses and camels, silk); 4) Intercultural Exchange.

Silk Road Encounters Education Kit [The Silk Road Project]
"The Silk Road Project is a not-for-profit arts, cultural and educational organization founded in 1998 by cellist Yo-Yo Ma, who serves as its artistic director, and led by Laura Freid, executive director and CEO. The Project has a vision of connecting the world’s neighborhoods by bringing together artists and audiences around the globe. Inspired by the cultural traditions of the historic Silk Road, the Silk Road Project is a catalyst promoting innovation and learning through the arts."
The "For Teachers" section of this website includes information about the Along the Silk Road curriculum (available for purchase), as well as the Silk Road Encounters Education Kit, which can be downloaded for free (scroll to the bottom of the page to download the materials).

"Silk Road Encounters" Readings and Lesson Plans [The Asia Society]

Geography

History

Belief Systems

Art

Trade

Music

 

Find more art-related resources about Art & Trade on the Silk Road
at OMuRAA (Online Museum Resources on Asian Art)

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