Made famous in the West by the Venetian adventurer Marco Polo, the ancient Silk Road spanned one-quarter of the circumference of the Earth. The network developed over many centuries, and as trading patterns shifted, cities rose and fell in importance. In its heyday it stretched from Luoyang and Xi'an in China, through Central Asia to Istanbul and Rome. For this 2nd Edition, a number of important trade routes dating to more recent centuries are shown, with four detailed maps of the Silk Road’s arteries supplemented by 33 colour photographs and historical notes on key places and notable people.