Amazon.com description: Product Description: Stretching across Asia and into eastern Europe and northern Africa, the Silk Road opened the world to new ideas, products, and cultures. Because the Mongols controlled so much of the territory across this network of pathways, trade between east and west flourished, spreading silk, spices, technology, and languages. In addition, the Mongols were known for their different religious traditions, including Buddhism, Islam, and Zoroastrianism, which were also transported along the established pathways of trade. While traveling throughout the network could be treacherous, its cross-cultural exchange paved the way for modern globalization. This vivid and lively account places sets readers on a wondrous journey of discovery along the Silk Road.