Which of the following statements with regard to the famous ‘silk routes’ are correct?
- 1. Silk routes refer to East-bound European silk cargoes along these routes.
- 2. There were several silk routes, over land and by sea, joining together vast regions of Asia with Europe and northern Africa.
- 3. They are known to have existed since before the Christian Era and thrived almost till the fifteenth century.
- 4. Besides silk, Chinese pottery, textiles and spices from India and South-east Asia travelled the same route.
Select the answer using the code given below :
1, 2 and 3
1, 3 and 4
2, 3 and 4
1, 2 and 4
Answer is Right!
Answer is Wrong!
This question was previously asked in
UPSC NDA-1 – 2024
2. The Silk Routes comprised a vast network of interconnected land and sea routes that linked regions across Asia, Europe, and northern Africa. They were not a single road but a system facilitating trade and cultural exchange over long distances. So, statement 2 is correct.
3. The routes became prominent trade arteries around the 2nd century BCE and were actively used for trade and interaction until the decline of overland routes and the rise of maritime exploration around the 15th and 16th centuries. So, statement 3 is correct.
4. Besides silk, the routes were used for the exchange of a wide variety of goods including Chinese pottery (porcelain), textiles other than silk, spices from India and Southeast Asia, precious stones, metals, and also facilitated the spread of ideas, technologies, and religions. So, statement 4 is correct.