Calendar of readings and assignments

This page will be updated frequently with links. The syllabus page will not be.

We will begin this class by reading an enjoyable, if problematic, primary source -- The Travels of Marco Polo. We will use Polo often confused depiction to introduce ourselves to the world of the Silk Road, even though his voyages took place in the latter stages of the period. We will then step back to the beginnings of the Silk Road, and look at the the East Asian origins of sericulture, the early trading routes, the spread of religions along the road, and attempt to gain a broad overview of our subject - over 5000 miles and 1500 years! In the final stage of the course, we will focus on other travelers' accounts, including Franciscian emissaries from Rome to the Mongols, the great Muslim traveller Ibn Battuta, and imagined voyages and descriptions by medieval Latin writers.

• R-# means that a reading journal is due on that day.
• Video Writeup means that a 1 page video analysis is due on that day.
• This is a new course, and the readings and subjects for the latter half have intentionally been left vague. They will be corrected on the website once I have a better sense of our pace and understanding.

Introduction

• Thursday, September 8 - Introduction

Marco Polo

• Tuesday, September 13 - Prologue and The Middle East
  • Reading: Marco Polo, "Prologue" and "The Middle East," 33-73
  • Due: Map Quiz: You will be given a blank map in class with locations referred to in Polo's prologue, and you will need to identify them. Use the internet to begin building your knowledge of our region.
  • Due: R-1
• Thursday, September 15 - In China
  • Reading: Marco Polo, "The Road to Cathay" and "Kubilai Khan," 74-162
  • Due: R-2
• Tuesday, September 20 - In S.E. Asia
  • Reading: Marco Polo, "From China to India," and "India" 241-294.
  • Due: R-3
  • In-class: Exam #1 - On Marco Polo (a single in-class essay)

Back to the Beginning

• Thursday, September 22 - Video 1:1 The Glories of Ancient Chang'an
  • In Class: In small groups, work on an outline of a critique and analysis of the video.
  • Over the weekend, watch Video Program 1:2 A Thousand Kilometers beyond the Yellow River (it is on reserve. I recommend arranging small groups to watch it together). Write up a one-page analysis of this video independently. More information on this assignment will be given in class.
  • Prepare for next week's reading!
• Tuesday, September 27 - What is the Silk Road?
  • Reading: Article: Silk Roads or Steppe Roads (in course packet), Bentley, Chapters 1-2 (1-66)
  • Due: Video Writeup A - on 1:2
• Thursday, September 29 - Han China
  • Reading: Han Narrative Histories (in course packet. Focus on pages 30-49.)
  • Due: R-4
  • Over the weekend, watch Video 1:3 The Art Gallery in the Desert.
• Tuesday, October 4 - Overview of the spread of religion
  • Reading: Bentley, Chapter 3 (67-110)
  • Due: Video Writeup B - on 1:3

Buddhism

• Thursday, October 6 - Lecture: Buddhism and the Silk Road
  • Reading: S. Teiser, "Spirits of Chinese Religion" (course packet)
  • Due: R-5
  • Over the weekend, watch Video 1:6 (note skip!) "Across the Taklamakan Desert"
• Tuesday, October 11 - Travelers
• Reading: T. Sen, "In Search of Longevity and Good Karma: Chinese Diplomatic Missions to Middle India in the Seventh Century" (course packet), "The Journey of Faxian to India," and Xuanzang: "Record of the Western Regions" (course packet)
• Paper handout
• Due: Video Writeup C - 1:6
• Thursday, October 13 - Guest Lecture (TBA).
  • Reading: TBA
  • Over the weekend, watch Video 2:1 Khotan --Oasis of Silk and Jade

Tuesday, October 18 - Fall Break

The Western End of the Silk Road

• Thursday, October 20 - Rome, Byzantium, Persia
  • Reading: None
• Due: No video writeup
• Tuesday, October 25 - The emergence of Islam
  • Reading: "Chinese Records of the Arabs in Central Asia" and Passages from the Qur'an (handed out in class) and The Sunnah (traditions) of the Prophet (Print these out!)
  • Due: Paper #1 on Faxian and Xuanzang

Life Along the Silk Road - We will read S. Whitfield's book, several chapters at a time, and discuss them in class. You will be assigned a particular chapter to focus on and lead the discussion in small groups for each day, but are required to read all assigned texts.

• Thursday, October 27 - Merchant, Soldier, Horseman, Princess
  • Reading: Whitfield, 27-112
  • Over the weekend, watch Video 1:4
• Tuesday, November 1 - Courtesean, Nun, Widow, Official
  • Reading: Whitfield, 138-205
  • Due: Video Writeup D - on 1:4

Changes to the World Order

• Thursday, November 3 - The Islamic Golden Age
  • Reading: Risala, The Lady and her Suitors (warning: rude and racy!), Sinbad 1, 6, 7
  • Due: R- 6
  • Over the weekend, watch Video 1:5
  • Also: MUCH better article and translation of the Risala (.pdf)
• Tuesday, November 8 - Crusades and the Western Markets
  • Reading: "China Silk in Europe in the Yuan Period" (course packet) and Taxes of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, Accounts of the Fall of Jerusalem in 1099, Saladin's Capture of Jerusalem in 1187
  • Due: R-7
• Thursday, November 10 - The Mongols
  • Reading: Bentley, 111-184
  • Due Video writeup E 1:5
• Tuesday, November 15 - The Pax Mongolica and the Black Death
  • Reading: Trade and the Black Death, The Pax Mongolica, Boccaccio on the coming of the plague
  • Due: R-8
  • Our Black Death page
• Thursday, November 17 - After the Mongols
  • Reading: "Clavijo's Embassy to Tamerlane"
  • Due: R-9

Tuesday, November 22 - Exam #2 in class.

Late Travelers on the Silk Road

For the next two classes, you will be following the same pattern as with the Whitfield book. You are required to read everything, but you will need to lead a discussion of a particular chapter in groups of 4-6.

• Tuesday, November 29 - Ibn Battuta - From Egypt to India
  • Reading 1: 1-31
  • Reading 2: 32-62
  • Reading 3: 63-94
• Thursday, December 1 - Ibn Battuta - From India to China to Morrocco
  • Reading 1: 94-131
  • Reading 2: 139-175
  • Reading 3: 207-243
  • Due: R-10 (on any of the Battuta readings)
• Tuesday, December 6 - - John of Plano Carpini
  • Reading: 3-86 - Mission to Asia
  • Discussion Questions:
    • What are the virtues and faults of the Mongols (and other peoples) as perceived by the author?
    • What is Plano Carpini's purposes in his journey and constructing this text?
    • What do we learn about Carpini, and what about the Mongols, from this text?
    • How do his perceptions color the text, or not?
    • Discuss:
      • Mongol Religion
      • Mongol army (and methods to oppose it)
• Thursday, December 8 - William of Rubruk, assorted letters
  • Reading: 149-206, 224-237 - Mission to Asia
  • Due: R-11 (on either of the preceding two readings)
  • Map of Rubruk's route
• Tuesday, December 13 - Imagined Journeys
  • Reading
    • Sir John Mandeville - Read the Prologue, Chapters 20, 28, and 32.
    • Christopher Columbus - Read and print out

Final Paper on either of the Franciscan missionaries or Ibn Battuta will be due 12:00 Tuesday, December 20. Assignment will be given on December 13th.