Bactrian camel Central Asian commercial transport

Timeline

1. c. -2500–-1000Margins of the Central Asian steppe · KazakhstanArchaeological evidence indicates that Bactrian camels were domesticated in Central Asia and used for carrying loads and producing dairy, becoming an important economic resource of nomadic and semi-nomadic societies.
2. 100–1000Trade routes along the northern edge of the Taklamakan Desert · XinjiangDuring the Han and Tang periods, caravans commonly formed camel trains of Bactrian camels, each able to carry over a hundred kilograms across deserts such as the Taklamakan, connecting trade nodes such as Dunhuang, Khotan, and Samarkand.
3. 1200–1300Trade routes of the Mongol Empire · Tianshan CorridorBetween 1201 and 1210 CE, under Mongol-Yuan rule trade routes were open, and large camel trains traveled between Dadu, Samarkand, and Persia, bringing Bactrian camel commercial transport to its medieval peak.
4. 1850–1950Along Central Asian railways · KazakhstanAfter the construction of railways and roads in Central Asia, the function of long-distance commercial camel trains declined sharply; Bactrian camels were mainly retained for herding and tourism displays, and their traditional commercial transport role essentially ended.