ABSTRACT
This chapter introduces the trade patterns of the early medieval period and highlights the most active trade routes and the most highly desired commodities. In some ways, the early medieval period can be seen as laying the foundations for the massive economic growth and expansion of trade that characterized the later Middle Ages. The term “Silk Road,” describing the long caravan paths that crisscrossed premodern Central Asia, is an invention of the nineteenth century. The name was based on the idea that the route was developed as a thoroughfare for huge caravans of expensive silk fabrics that were exported across Central Asia from China to Rome. The dhow’s lateen sail allowed sailors to take advantage of monsoon wind patterns by tacking against the wind (heading into the wind instead of with the wind) and utilizing the currents to create predictable sailing routes along the coasts.
