Central Asian Silk Road Segment

Timeline

1. c. -200–600Northern rim of the Tarim Basin · North and south of the Tian ShanTwo main routes north and south of the Tian Shan were linked through oasis city-states; Sogdian merchants dominated the relay trade, carrying Central Plains silk, Indian spices, and Persian crafts westward.
2. c. 750–1000Bukhara · TransoxianaThe Abbasids, Samanids, and Karakhanids successively controlled the Central Asian trunk roads; caravan inns and toll checkpoints became institutionalized, and Samarkand and Bukhara became major commercial hubs.
3. 1041–1050Samarkand · KarakhanidsAfter the Karakhanid split, its eastern and western halves still shared trade-route interests; camel caravans traveled from Kashgar via Samarkand to Merv and Khurasan, connecting with Persian routes under Seljuk control, with paper and textile trade especially active.