Nasim H Naqvi

1. Around 3000 BCE Silk was first produced in China 2. 2500 BCE Horse and Camel essential for long distance travel were

domesticated in Central Asia 3. 1700-1500 BCE Iron smelted and horse drawn chariot introduced in

Central Asia 4. 1000 BCE safer travel and trade routes were established 5. 753 BCE Rome was founded became biggest consumer of Silk 6. 575 BCE expansion of Achaemenid Empire, building road network primarily to move armies 7. 485 BCE Herodotus was born, recorded all what we know of the past 8. 334-323 BCE Alexander (356-323 BCE) on the Silk Road 9. 300-200 BCE Period of Roman, Parthian, Han and Maurean empires 10. 476 CE Roman Empire destroyed and Buddhism in India in 500 CE 11. 700-1400 Islamic expansion, golden age of the Silk Road trade 12. 1600 Silk Road trade declined along with Islamic power

Silk and Rhubarb were the earliest commodities transported on the Silk Road. Roman women were fond of Silk and Rhubarb was popular among constipated Roman men due to heavy drinking.Silk, Cotton, Wool, Carpets, Ceramics, Precious Stones, Sugar, Salt, Bronze, Iron, Copper, Gold, Glass, Paper, Books, Perfumes, Spices, Medicines, Slaves, Animals, Weapons, Armies and much more

Knowledge, Medicine, Religions, Culture, Art, Architecture, Sculptures

Plagues, defected genes

Inventions such as Paper making, Printing and Compass Today Drugs, Oil, Gas, Weapons and Illegal immigrants

During the Achaemenid Empire (576-330 BCE) all kinds of skilled labour was attracted to the expanding Persian Empire. Greek physicians were servingin the royal courts even before Hippocrates (460 - 370 BCE) Democedes of Crotona was captured as slave during the war and became trusted physician to Darius I (550-486 BCE) successfully treated his injured foot and

breast abscess of his wife Atossa Apolonides of Cos was a physicians in the court of Artaxerxes I (465-424 BCE) (had an affair with the sister or wife of the Emperor while treating her and paid

with his life

Ctesias of Caria is better known as historian but professionally he was a physician in the court of Artaxerxes II (404-359 BCE)

Policritis according to Plutarch was a court physician

1st Millennium BCEChinese introduced Acupuncture, Moxibustion, Pulse diagnosis, Poly Pharmacy but little in surgery

3rd century BCE to 5th CE Buddhist pioneered Ayurvedic medicine, surgery. Buddhist travellers played a significant part in the spread of medicine along the Silk Road

7th century to 15th century Muslim civilization’s greatest achievement was preserving the Greek, Chinese

and Indian sciences by translations. During the Middle Ages they had huge contributions, including medical ethics and well organised medical education. Arabic Medicine prevailed for more than 1000 years on the Silk Road

© British Library

Buddha’s teachings encouraged compassionate medicine. Buddha is also known as the Great Physician Buddhist Gandhara (200 BCE-300 BCE) was centre of excellence for medical

teaching

Earliest medical MSS were written by the Buddhist Monks

Surgical concepts are only seen in Gandhara sculptures

Surgical practice is also supported by the excavated surgical instruments

Cultivation of medicinal plants and standardised preparation of medicines were also a vocation in Buddhist Monasteries

Shahbazgarhi, Pakistan Mansehra, PakistanEverywhere within Beloved-of-the-gods, King Piyadasi’s domain, and among the people beyond the borders, the Cholas, the Pandyas, the Satiyaputras, the Keralaputras, as far as Tamraparni and where the Greek king Antiochos rules, and among the kings who are neighbours of Antiochos, everywhere has Beloved-of-the-Gods, King Piyadasi, made provision for two types of medical treatments: medical treatment for humans and medical treatment for animals. Wherever medical herbs suitable for humans or animals are not available, I have had them imported and grown. Wherever medical roots or fruits are not available I have had them imported and grown. Along roads I have had wells dug and trees planted for the benefit of humans and animals

Bower Manuscript is the only complete manuscript of Ayurvedic medicine ever discovered. Purchased by

a British army captain in 1889 at Kuka, an oasis in Tarim desert. Written on 51 birch bark leaves in

Gandhari Sanskrit, by Buddhist monks about 350 CE. It contains references to Caraka and Susruta and discusses mostly therapeutics but no mention of surgical treatments. Now it is in Bodleian Library,

Oxford.

Pottery Bronze

Adab al Tabib al-Ruhawi's Practical Ethics for the physician

(Transactions of the American Philosophical Society 1967 by Martin Levey)

Original MS catalogue no:1658 in Selimiye Library, Edirne, Turkey

Abu Bakr Mohammad Ibn Zakariya al-Razi (865-925/35) during 9th -10th century wrote more than 200 massive texts. His treatise on Small Pox and Measels known as ‘Kitab fi Al Jadari wa Al Hisbah’ is the medical classic of all times It remained the only

book on the subject for 1000 years

It was translated 40 times in Europe There are only 2 original

MSS in the World

C Section illustrated in The Chronology of Nations by Al-Beruni 11th CE (Edinburgh University Library)

Silk Road disease or Behçet’s disease was first recognised in 1924 by a Turkish

dermatologist Hulusi Behçet (1889-1948) known as the Silk Road disease because it

is most common and more severe in people originating from countries along the Silk Road

According to current research from Manchester University (July 2010, Nature Genetics) it is associated with defected

genes – HLA-B51, IL10, IL23R-IL12RB2

The Silk Road for nearly 5000 years has played an important role in the spread and progress of medicine

The evidence of this progress may be seen in archaeological sites, museums and collections of Manuscripts displayed on the Silk Road

In this progress no single civilisation can claim

superiority