Caravanserai | National Geographic Society

The journeys of merchants and their caravans along the Silk Road through ... (also spelled caravansary) that dotted those ancient routes. Skiptocontent Donate Account Menu Close Account Image MarketVendorCaravanserai Amerchantweighstheproductheisabouttoselltodeterminetheprice.Merchantsoftengatheredinlargeareassuchasmarketstoselltheirproducts.  IllustrationbyChristopherKlein Twitter Facebook Pinterest GoogleClassroom Email Print EncyclopedicEntry Vocabulary ThejourneysofmerchantsandtheircaravansalongtheSilkRoadthroughtheMiddleEast,CentralAsia,andNorthAfricawouldhavebeenmuchmoredifficultifnotforthecaravanserais(alsospelledcaravansary)thatdottedthoseancientroutes.Variouslydescribedas“guesthouses,”“roadsideinns,”and“hostels,”caravanseraiswerebuildingsdesignedtoprovideovernighthousingtotravelers.Merchantsandtheircaravanswerethemostfrequentvisitors.Infurnishing,saferespiteforguestsfromnearandfar,caravanseraisalsobecamecentersfortheexchangeofgoodsandculture. AstrafficalongtheSilkRoadincreased,sodidtheconstructionofcaravanserais.Theywereneededassafehavens—notjustfromextremeclimatesandweather,butalsofrombanditswhotargetedcaravansloadedwithsilks,spices,andotherexpensivegoods.Infact,caravanseraiswerebuiltatregularintervalssothatmerchantswouldnothavetospendthenightexposedtothedangersoftheroad.Theyappearedroughly32-40kilometers(20–25miles)apart—aboutaday’sjourney—onthebusiestSilkRoadroutes. Thedesignofthesebuildingsalsoreflectedtheirprotectivepurpose.Oftenbuiltjustoutsidethenearesttownorvillage,theywereencircledbyimmensewallsresemblingthoseofafort.Caravansenteredthroughahigh,massivegatethatcouldbesecuredfromwithinatnightwithheavychains.Aporterstoodguardjustpastthegate,chargedwithsafeguardingthepersons,goods,andanimalsinside. Theinteriorofacaravanserailookedmorelikeaninnthanafortress,however.Alargeground-floorcourtyardringedwithstoreroomsandstablesforcamels,donkeys,andhorseswouldoftenhaveacornerforcookfiresaswell.Small,unfurnishedroomsforlodgerswerefoundonthesecondfloor.Somelargercaravanseraisalsofeaturedabathhouseandprayerroom. Mostoftheoldcaravanseraisstillinexistencetodayarecrumblingstoneruins,ofinterestonlytohistoriansandtourgroups.Incontrast,medievalcaravanseraiswerelivelyseedbedsforglobalization,resemblingthemoderncityinthevarietyofpeople,languages,goods,andcustomsfoundwithintheirwalls.TravelersfromEastandWest—speakingmanydifferentlanguages—tradedstories,news,merchandise,andideaswhiletheymingledatthesetradehubs.Theysampledlocalcuisineandobservedforeignetiquette.TheylearnedmoreaboutChristianity,Islam,Judaism,andBuddhismfrommissionariesandscholarspassingthrough.Whentheytraveledon,theytookmuchthatwasnewanddifferentalongwiththem.Theeconomicandculturalexchangescaravanseraismadepossiblehadfar-reachingeffectsstillseentodayinthevarietyoflanguages,faiths,andculturesco-existinginthisregionoftheworld.   Amerchantweighstheproductheisabouttoselltodeterminetheprice.Merchantsoftengatheredinlargeareassuchasmarketstoselltheirproducts.  IllustrationbyChristopherKlein bandit Noun thief. caravan Noun groupofpeoplewhotraveltogetherforsafetyandcompanionshipthroughdifficultterritory. caravanserai Noun innwithacentralcourtyardoftenfoundinthedesertthatservedtravelersalongtheSilkRoadinAsiaandNorthAfrica exchange Noun processoftradingorchangingonethingforanother. fortress Noun protectedplace.Alsocalledafort. merchandise Noun goodsthatareboughtandsold. merchant Noun personwhosellsgoodsandservices. mingle Verb tomixorcombinewith. porter Noun personhiredtocarrybaggageorsupplies. respite Noun temporaryperiodofrestorrelief.  ruin Noun remainsofadestroyedbuildingorsetofbuildings. seedbed Noun placeofgrowthorimprovment.  SilkRoad Noun ancienttraderoutethroughCentralAsialinkingChinaandtheMediterraneanSea. 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ViewArticle RelatedResources TheSilkRoad Formorethan1,500years,thenetworkofroutesknownastheSilkRoadcontributedtotheexchangeofgoodsandideasamongdiversecultures.  ViewArticle TheSilkRoads ThisisaneducatorideaforteachingthesignificanceoftheSilkRoadstoculturaldevelopment.TheideainvolveslinkingamapoftheSilkRoadsduringChina'sHanDynastytoItalianexplorerMarcoPolo’sdescriptionsoftheareaandtocurrent-dayphotographs. ViewMap ThePaxMongolica ThePaxMongolicausheredinaneraofstabilityandcommercethatsuccessfullyconnectedEuropeandEastAsia. ViewArticle EducationalResourcesinYourInbox JoinourcommunityofeducatorsandreceivethelatestinformationonNationalGeographic'sresourcesforyouandyourstudents. signup EducationalResourcesinYourInbox JoinourcommunityofeducatorsandreceivethelatestinformationonNationalGeographic'sresourcesforyouandyourstudents. signup