Silk Road Caravans

Timeline

1. c. 1000–1100Kashgar-Samarkand trade route · Northern and Southern Tianshan routesDuring the Karakhanid period, camel caravans established fixed relay stations and guard systems between oases, transporting valuable goods such as silk, jade, and spices.
2. c. 1190–1200Transoxiana · UzbekistanAmid the coexistence of regimes such as the Western Liao and Khwarazm, caravans still transferred goods via hubs such as Bukhara and Samarkand, relying on camel caravans, horse trains, and local customs clearance permits.
3. c. 1200–1220Northern foothills of the Tianshan · ChinaPolitical turmoil in the early 13th century increased the risks of the trade routes; caravan sizes and routes adjusted with regime changes, setting the background for the subsequent Mongol Empire's reorganization of Eurasian trade routes.