Syncretism, Religion, and Exchange
Swahili culture represents a fusion of African, Arab, and this language family.
Bantu
This geographic feature made travel along the Silk Roads difficult but also encouraged the growth of oasis towns.
The deserts (Gobi and Taklmakan)
This West African city became an intellectual center due to its universities and libraries.
Timbuktu
This navigational tool helped sailors determine latitude using the position of the stars.
The astrolabe
The spread of this disease along the Silk Roads dramatically reduced populations across Eurasia.
Merchants helped spread this religion across the Indian Ocean basin and East Africa.
Islam
This invention, originating in China, enabled caravans to cross uneven terrain more easily on horseback.
The stirrup
This Malian ruler’s pilgrimage demonstrated the immense wealth of West Africa to the wider Islamic world.
Mansa Musa
Chinese shipbuilding during the Ming dynasty produced massive vessels known as these.
Junk ships
Indian Ocean trade networks relied heavily on these multicultural merchant settlements where foreign traders lived and influenced local culture.
Diasporic communities
Religious diffusion through trade networks often occurred when local rulers converted to gain these two advantages (Tow of our Themes - PIECES).
Political
Economic
This precious material from China was so valuable it gave the Silk Roads their name.
Silk
Gold and salt were the two most important trade goods of this West African empire.
Mali
This Chinese admiral led voyages that expanded diplomatic and cultural connections throughout the Indian Ocean.
Zheng He
Knowledge of this mathematical system, originating in India, spread through Islamic trade networks and influenced global commerce.
Arabic numerals
The combination of Chinese, Indian, and Islamic influences in port cities is an example of this broader cultural process.
The Silk Roads enabled not only trade but also the transmission of this religion from India into Central and East Asia.
Buddhism
One long-term impact of Mansa Musa’s pilgrimage was the increased use of this language in West Africa.
Arabic
These triangular sails allowed ships to sail against the wind, revolutionizing maritime trade.
Lateen Sails
These Islamic schools, built throughout Mali and Songhai, promoted scholarship and the study of the Qur’an.
Madrasas