The Silk Road is as iconic in world history as the Colossus of Rhodes or the Suez Canal. But what was it, exactly? It conjures up a hazy image of a caravan of camels laden with silk on a dusty desert track, reaching from China to Rome. The reality was different--and far more interesting--as revealed in this new history.
In The Silk Road, Valerie Hansen describes the remarkable archeological finds that revolutionize our understanding of these trade routes. For centuries, key records remained hidden--sometimes deliberately buried by bureaucrats for safe keeping. But the sands of the...

The authors of VOYAGES IN WORLD HISTORY, 2E, International Edition never forget that history is made up of the stories of people. Each chapter of the text centers on a story-a traveler's account that highlights the book's main theme, the constant movement of people, goods, and ideas. The travelers include merchants, poets, rulers, explorers, soldiers, missionaries, and scholars, and their voyages provide a framework for each chapter that will draw you into the stories of world history. For the second edition of this text, the authors added broad global connections to every chapter, which will...