Chapter 1
The biology of the silkworm
Chapter 2
The ancient art of sericulture
Chapter 3
Secrets of the Silk Road
Chapter 4
Modern science and high-tech silk
YOUR GOAL
Master of The story of silk
Ch 3 · Secrets of the Silk Road
schopenhauer Secrets of the Silk Road
We packed the crawling gold in hollow bamboo / and walked the secret past the Constantinople gates
schopenhauer Roman elites fell so deeply in love with silk that the Senate tried to ban it.
schopenhauer Two monks smuggled silkworm eggs to Constantinople in 552 CE, ending China's monopoly.
BETA
schopenhauer Sort the raw cocoons to discover the ancient science of how silk is made.
Fun Fact
Hollow stick heist: Byzantine monks smuggled the first silkworm eggs out of Asia inside hollow bamboo walking sticks.
Glossary
sericulture (noun)
The cultivation of silkworms for the purpose of producing silk. In 552 CE, Byzantine monks smuggled silkworm eggs in hollow canes to establish Western production.
The cultivation of silkworms for the purpose of producing silk. In 552 CE, Byzantine monks smuggled silkworm eggs in hollow canes to establish Western production.
Quiz
Which desert, known as the 'Sea of Death,' did Silk Road merchants have to cross?
Quiz
In Ahimsa silk production, what is allowed to happen before the cocoon is harvested?
Quiz
What animal was most essential for transporting goods across the dry overland Silk Road?
Quiz
Which empire became the main Western hub of silk production after smuggling the eggs?