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Silk Road

When these happened

25 dated records from 138 BCE to 2015. Each is drawn as wide as its date is certain — a band is a band because nobody knows the year, not because the drawing is imprecise.

0500100015002000Zhang Qian is sent west by Emperor Wu — 138 BCEZhang Qian returns to Chang'an — 126 BCEHan establishes the Protectorate of the Western Regions — 60 BCEHan campaigns against Dayuan for the Ferghana horses — 104-101 BCEThe Sogdian Ancient Letters are abandoned west of Dunhuang — ~313 CEFirst cave cut at Mogao (traditional date) — 366 CESilkworm cultivation reaches Byzantium — ~550s CEXuanzang travels to India and back — 629-645 CEAlopen reaches Chang'an — 635 CETang conquest of Gaochang and the Anxi Protectorate — 640 CEArab conquest of Transoxiana — 705-715 CEBattle of Talas — 751 CEThe Nestorian Stele is erected at Chang'an — 781 CEThe Dunhuang Diamond Sutra is printed — 868 CEMogao Cave 17 is sealed — ~1000 CETemujin is proclaimed Chinggis Khan — 1206Mongol destruction of Merv — 1221Marco Polo's journey to Asia and back — 1271-1295Plague strikes the besieging army at Kaffa — 1346Plague reaches the Mediterranean — 1347Richthofen coins the term Seidenstrasse — 1877Wang Yuanlu opens Mogao Cave 17 — 1900The Dunhuang manuscripts are dispersed — 1907-1908Mogao Caves inscribed on the World Heritage List — 1987Chang'an-Tianshan corridor inscribed by UNESCO — 2014
25 shown · 25 dated · 0 cannot be placed on an axis · Approximate or contested. Draw a band and do not sharpen its edges.
In order25
  1. 138 BCEZhang Qian is sent west by Emperor Wu

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  2. 126 BCEZhang Qian returns to Chang'an

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  3. 60 BCEHan establishes the Protectorate of the Western Regions

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  4. 104-101 BCEHan campaigns against Dayuan for the Ferghana horses

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  5. ~313 CEThe Sogdian Ancient Letters are abandoned west of Dunhuang

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  6. 366 CEFirst cave cut at Mogao (traditional date)

    Sources disagree, or the dating is contested. Stated, not resolved.

  7. ~550s CESilkworm cultivation reaches Byzantium

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  8. 629-645 CEXuanzang travels to India and back

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  9. 635 CEAlopen reaches Chang'an

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  10. 640 CETang conquest of Gaochang and the Anxi Protectorate

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  11. 705-715 CEArab conquest of Transoxiana

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  12. 751 CEBattle of Talas

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  13. 781 CEThe Nestorian Stele is erected at Chang'an

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  14. 868 CEThe Dunhuang Diamond Sutra is printed

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  15. ~1000 CEMogao Cave 17 is sealed

    Sources disagree, or the dating is contested. Stated, not resolved.

  16. 1206Temujin is proclaimed Chinggis Khan

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  17. 1221Mongol destruction of Merv

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  18. 1271-1295Marco Polo's journey to Asia and back

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  19. 1346Plague strikes the besieging army at Kaffa

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  20. 1347Plague reaches the Mediterranean

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  21. 1877Richthofen coins the term Seidenstrasse

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  22. 1900Wang Yuanlu opens Mogao Cave 17

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  23. 1907-1908The Dunhuang manuscripts are dispersed

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  24. 1987Mogao Caves inscribed on the World Heritage List

    It happened, and the record is settled.

  25. 2014Chang'an-Tianshan corridor inscribed by UNESCO

    It happened, and the record is settled.