TRADE, URBAN DEVELOPMENT AND THE TRANSFORMATION OF CENTRAL ASIAN CITIES ALONG THE SILK ROAD

Abstract

This study examines the relationship between long-distance trade, urban development, and cultural exchange in Central Asia during the historical periods associated with the Silk Road. The research focuses on how commercial routes contributed to the growth of urban centres, the diversification of economic activities, and the circulation of knowledge, technologies, religions, and artistic traditions. Using a comparative historical approach, the study analyses selected evidence from Central Asian cities and places these developments within the wider Eurasian context. The findings indicate that Silk Road cities functioned not merely as transit points but as complex centres of production, administration, scholarship, and intercultural interaction. The study argues that the long-term historical significance of the Silk Road lies in the institutional and cultural networks created around trade rather than in trade volumes alone. These findings contribute to a broader understanding of Central Asian history and the role of Eurasian connectivity in shaping urban civilizations