Table of contents : Cover Contents Preface Introduction Map I. Beginnings 1. Precursors of the Silk Road 2. Nomads 3. The Kushans II. China 4. The introduction of Buddhism to China 5. Luoyang 6. Changan (Xian) III. The Silk Road between Xian and Dunhuang 7. The route west from Xian IV. The Silk Road through China beyond Dunhuang 8. The Northern Silk Road 9. The Southern Silk Road V. The Silk Road between China and India VI. The Silk Road through Central Asia 10. Silk Road sites in Southern Central Asia 11. The coming of Islam to Central Asia 12. The Mongols 13. Tamerlane (Timur) and the Timurids 14. Silk Road sites between Balkh and Nisa 15. The route north from Merv to Khorezm 16. The routes north from the Iron Gate Pass 17. The routes to the northwest from Bukhara and Samarkand to Khorezm 18. Silk Road sites around Samarkand 19. Silk Road sites between Samarkand and China VII. Persia and beyond 20. Parthians and Sasanians 21. The main East-West Silk Road across Iran 22. The Ray-Tabriz road 23. The Ray-Hamadan road 24. The Silk Road through Iraq 25. Silk Road sites of Syria and Lebanon 26. The Silk Road through Turkey 27. All roads lead to Rome 28. The end of the road: the Silk Road in decline Conclusion Appendix Chronologies Glossary Bibliography Index