Everything Everywhere Daily Smuggling Silk Out of China (Encore)
May 18, 2024
Explore the historical impact and significance of silk trade from China, the evolution of silk production, and how the silk monopoly was broken. Learn about the Silk Road, silk smuggling, and the rise and fall of silk monopolies.
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Silk As Ancient World's Ultimate Luxury
- Silk was the ultimate luxury across ancient civilizations and drove status and trade.
- Its rarity and quality made it one of the most valuable commodities in the ancient world.
Why Silk Travelled Far And Cost So Much
- The Silk Road existed because overland transport was costly, slow, and dangerous.
- Multiple middlemen and high land costs made silk astronomically expensive by the time it reached the Mediterranean.
China's Strict Silk Monopoly
- China kept strict secrecy and punished silkworm export with death to protect its silk monopoly.
- That monopoly generated huge wealth until the secrets eventually leaked out.