The idea that globalisation is a contemporary phenomenon is a common misconception. Human societies have been increasingly interlinked for millennia. From the trade between the Indus Valley civilisation and West Asia to the spread of diseases, the world was never as isolated as we might sometimes imagine.

Importance Of Trade Routes: The Silk Roads

Trade routes, like the Silk Roads, were highways of not just economic but also cultural exchange. This went beyond the mere barter of goods to include the diffusion of art, religion, and even disease. Silk was a prime commodity, but the Silk Roads were conduits for other things like spices, textiles, religious philosophies, and technological innovations. The eastward flow of gold and silver demonstrates the balance of this early form of globalisation.

1.Cultural Exchange

Christian missionaries and Muslim preachers traveling along these routes is significant because it highlights that ideas moved along with goods. The spread of Buddhism is another powerful example. This religious diffusion laid the groundwork for transcontinental spread of philosophies and religions that impact our world to this day.

2.Early Forms Of Currency And Trade

Cowries as a form of currency extending from the Maldives to China and East Africa. It shows that even rudimentary forms of currency and economic systems had a reach far beyond their places of origin.