Networks of Communication and Exchange Flashcards

A collection of vocabulary terms and definitions focusing on the trade networks, cultural migrations, and religious expansions in Afro-Eurasia between 300 BCE and 1100 CE.

Silk Road

The network of caravan routes that connected China to the Middle East across Central Asia and Iran, facilitating the exchange of goods and ideas.

Parthians

An Iranian ruling dynasty that existed between approximately 250 BCE and 226 CE and played a major role in fostering trade along the Silk Road.

Zhang Jian

A Chinese general during the Han dynasty who led exploratory expeditions to Central Asia and is credited with initiating overland trade with western regions.

Stirrup

A crucial military invention first observed among the Kushan people that provided riders with greater stability in the saddle, allowing for more effective use of weapons.

Indian Ocean Maritime System

A premodern network of seaports and trade routes that linked the coastal lands of East Africa, southern Arabia, India, Southeast Asia, and southern China.

Lateen Sails

Triangular sails used by Indian Ocean vessels that allowed ships to run before the wind on long stretches at sea.

Trans-Saharan caravan routes

A trading network crossing the Sahara Desert that connected North Africa with sub-Saharan Africa, growing significantly with the introduction of the camel.

Sahel

The semiarid belt of land along the southern borderlands of the Sahara, serving as a transitional zone between the desert and the grasslands.

Sub-Saharan Africa

The portion of the African continent located south of the Sahara Desert, which developed distinct cultural patterns and social systems.

Steppes

Arid, treeless plains covered with grass and shrubs, serving as an ecological region suited for pastoral nomadic cultures.

Savanna

Tropical or subtropical grasslands with occasional clumps of trees, found extensively in sub-Saharan Africa.

Tropical rain forest

High-precipitation forest zones located in equatorial regions between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn.

"Great traditions"

A literate and well-institutionalized complex of religious and social beliefs shared by diverse societies over a broad geographic area.

"Small traditions"

Localized and typically nonliterate customs and beliefs specific to a single society, often existing alongside broader religious systems.

Bantu

A group of sub-Saharan African languages and the peoples who migrated across the continent, spreading ironworking and agricultural practices.

Armenia

An early Christian kingdom located in eastern Anatolia and the western Caucasus, which served as a cultural bridge for Silk Road traders.

Ethiopia

An East African highland nation where the kingdom of Aksum became a major Christian power and a key participant in Indian Ocean trade.

Yurt

A portable, round felt dwelling used by Central Asian nomads, such as the Turks and Mongols, designed for easy assembly and transport.

Bodhisattva

In Mahayana Buddhism, a person who has attained nirvana but chooses to remain in the human world to guide others toward enlightenment.

Theravada Buddhism

Known as the "Teachings of the Elder," this branch of Buddhism originated in Sri Lanka and adheres closely to the Buddha's earliest recorded teachings.