The Silk Road

Diffusion:

Cultural - ideas, values, thoughts, and inventions were spread

Biological - spread of animals, plants, and diseases

• China had a monopoly on silk for thousands of years

• Became more popular outside of China 300 BCE

• Men traded while women produced

• Rural women were involved in every step of silk production

• Tang Dynasty women made large contributions to household economy

The Role of Silk:

• Elite Chinese women and men wanted silk