1. The Silk Route was a network of trading routes that connected the Eastern part of Eurasia to the Western Part.

2. On this Route, many commodities like spices, jewels, animals were traded.

3. Paper
Perhaps the most important exchange of all was of paper which reached from China to Europe in the 11th century. Paper made possible the production of manuscripts, carefully written by scribes.

4. Marco Polo, an Italian explorer brought the technology of woodblock printing back to Europe in Books started becoming printed with these blocks all over Europe.

5. In Depth
The woodblock fragment Bois Protat (c. 1370–1380) is a fragmentary woodblock for printing, and the images on it are the oldest surviving woodcut images from the Western world.
It is cut on both sides, with a scene from Christ's crucifixion. Can you look at the top where Christ’s arm can be seen?

6. In Depth
Books were earlier handwritten in calligraphy and illustrations were made to depict what was being said.
Despite the onset of print, aristocracy and the Church scoffed at printed books as cheap vulgarities.
For example, illuminated manuscripts with gold embellishments were a symbol of European magnificence.