Why is it called the Silk Road?

The Silk Road is named after Chinese silk, one of the most famous luxury goods traded along these routes.

During the Han Dynasty, silk became extremely popular in the Roman Empire. Roman nobles admired its beauty and softness, and silk garments became a symbol of wealth. Some ancient writers even described silk as “woven gold.”

Because silk became the most recognizable product traded along these routes, historians later named this network the Silk Road.

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Red Brocade Robe with Double-bird-within-floral-roundel Pattern