Silk Road and Indian Ocean Trade Routes- Phoebe

The camel was an essential mode of transportation that allowed for the movement of goods through harsh climate both in the Middle East and in western Asia. Different technological innovations relating to the camel like the military efficient North Arabian camel saddle (c. 300 BCE) and the creation of the stirrup (c. first few centuries AD in China) allowed for superior war tactics to be used and for greater efficiency of riding both the camel and the domesticated horses, were crucial to the trade along the Silk Road. However, camels and sturdy domesticated animals were not the only means of transportation along both of these trade routes. The Indian Ocean Maritime System, a trade network across the Indian Ocean and the South China sea, used specialized boats for their long journeys. These fine vessels of the seafaring people allowed for ease of transport of goods such as spices and manufactured goods from Asia to Africa and ivory and exotic animal parts from Africa back to to India, China and Southeast Asia. 

The movement and origins of ideas are significantly more difficult to trace due to the differing opinions of several historians. The Eurocentric historians will always conclude that superior technological ideas and theories must have originated from the Indo-European peoples, however, this textbook has debunked a lot of these biassed opinions. Nonetheless, in my opinion ideas are spread in much the same way. Contrary to what many people might assume, I am of the belief that ideas spread through observation rather than language. There were a plethora of cultures and languages in use throughout the silk road and communication must have been rather difficult. The study of other cultures by the traders and travelers of the silk road allowed these civilians to synthesize and transport vital ideas back to their native lands. Religions such as Buddhism, Hinduism and Zoroastrianism were also another medium by which ideas were shared and commonalities were found among the trades and travelers of the silk road. I hypothesize that the syncretism among several religions is due at least partially to the interactions among traders along both the Silk Road and Indian Ocean trading systems. 

In regards to the interaction between the rise and fall of empires and the trade system, it can be inferred that with one empire obtaining superior technology and consumer goods, this empire will eventually rise to power as the technologies and goods of the other cultures will be inferior.