Which specific plant leaf is the exclusive food source for the domestic silkworm?
Chapter 1

The secret life of silk

Chapter 2

Heavenly horses and war beasts

Chapter 3

Flavors that changed the world

Chapter 4

Glass, clay, and blue paint

Chapter 5

Ideas, medicine, and invisible cargo

YOUR GOAL

Master of Silk Road trade secrets

Ch 1 · The secret life of silk
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misslily The ancient Roman fashion police

Jul 10

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misslily The secret life of silk

We don't need copper coins, we're buying Ferghana horses with bolts of plain silk!

Jul 9

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misslily The great Byzantine industrial espionage

Jul 10

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The ancient Roman fashion police

misslily Roman senators tried to ban silk because they thought it was too revealing and economically draining.

Jul 9

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The great Byzantine industrial espionage

misslily Two Nestorian monks smuggled silkworm eggs out of China inside hollow bamboo walking sticks.

Jul 9

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Caravan of Curiosities
BETA

misslily Sort bizarre goods to discover the weirdest items actually traded along the Silk Road.

Jul 6

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Fun Fact

Silk armor strength: Genghis Khan's Mongol warriors wore silk undershirts because arrowheads couldn't easily pierce the strong fibers, making arrow removal much safer.

Jul 9

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Gossip

Would you wear see-through Roman silk?

Jul 9

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Quiz

Why did the Roman Senate attempt to ban silk garments in the 1st century BCE?

Jul 9

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misslily The legendary white mulberry tree

Jul 10

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Quiz

How long is a single continuous thread of silk harvested from a healthy silkworm cocoon?

Jul 9

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misslily How silk became actual money

Jul 10

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Quiz

Which specific plant leaf is the exclusive food source for the domestic silkworm?

Jul 9

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Quiz

What did Han Dynasty soldiers in China receive as official payment for their military service?

Jul 9

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Quiz

What unique property made silk undershirts popular among Mongol warriors in battle?

Jul 9

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Quiz

Which Byzantine Emperor successfully broke the Chinese monopoly on silk production?

Jul 9

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Quiz

Which Chinese dynasty first standardized bolts of silk to be used as official currency?

Jul 9

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Quiz

In 552 CE, how did Byzantine monks smuggle silkworm eggs out of China?

Jul 9