THE SILK ROAD

Among the earliest travellers to bring Christianity to Asia were Nestorian monks and traders who journeyed far into Asia to exchange goods. These goods were not only objects of commerce: they were also linked to the exchange of ideas and technologies. The trade route that linked the cultures of the East to Europe has been called the ‘Silk Road’. But it was not only silk, or other precious fabrics that were transported on these routes, but also objects of art, and philosophical ideas. In return, Eastern potentates valued the scientific discoveries of Western intellectuals, along with cultural gifts which were linked to the Christian Faith. Jesuits brought images of Jesus and the Madonna, or beautifully illustrated books which were prized by Eastern aesthetes, but also seekers for spiritual wisdom.

Among the earliest travellers to bring Christianity to Asia were Nestorian monks and traders who journeyed far into Asia to exchange goods. These goods were not only objects of commerce: they were also linked to the exchange of ideas and technologies. The trade route that linked the cultures of the East to Europe has been called the ‘Silk Road’. But it was not only silk, or other precious fabrics that were transported on these routes, but also objects of art, and philosophical ideas. In return, Eastern potentates valued the scientific discoveries of Western intellectuals, along with cultural gifts which were linked to the Christian Faith. Jesuits brought images of Jesus and the Madonna, or beautifully illustrated books which were prized by Eastern aesthetes, but also seekers for spiritual wisdom.