SILK ROAD: A LIVING HISTORY

Christopher Wilton-Steer is a renowned travel photographer whose work takes him to remote and off-the-beaten-track locations across Africa, Asia and the Middle East. His photography explores less well documented and often misunderstood parts of the world to cultivate cross-cultural understanding and bring attention to diminishing cultures. His work has been featured in the likes of National Geographic, The Guardian, China Daily, the Financial Times, and CNN, as well as in exhibitions around the world since 2016. Wilton-Steer also serves as Global Lead for Communications at the Aga Khan Foundation. The Silk Road: A Living History is his first book. Wilton-Steer lives with his family in Nairobi, Kenya.Peter Frankopan is a Professor of Global History at Oxford University and the UNESCO Professor of Silk Roads Studies and a Bye-Fellow at King's College, Cambridge. he works on the history and politics of the Mediterranean, Russia, the Middle East, Persia/Iran, Central Asia, China and beyond. A bestselling author, Frankopan lives in Oxford with his wife and four children.

• Preface by Peter Frankopan, page 2The Silk Road. Past, Present and Future, page 4Italy, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, page 8Montenegro, Serbia, Bulgaria, page 18Turkey, page 25Iran, page 41Turkmenistan, page 68Uzbekistan, page 78Kyrgyzstan, page 93Tajikistan, page 106India, page 128India, page 144China, page 174Afterword, page 206Biography and acknowledgements, page 207

Named Book of the Month in August 2025 by Cornucopia, the award-winning magazine for connoisseurs of Turkey"I first became interested in the Silk Roads four decades ago. It gives me enormous pleasure that there are more and more ‘Silk Roaders’ today than there were when I was starting out. So to all who read this lovely book: I hope you enjoy it as much as I have. And welcome to our ranks!" —Peter Frankopan“The photos deliver. Because they flow west to east in the book, and because Wilton-Steer’s favorite angles emerge as patterns throughout, they braid a telling human gradient: from onion domes in Venice to the pitched facades of Uzbekistan, from a Christian stele in Turkey to a Buddhist one in South Asia, from Uyghur faces to Han ones across China. And much to his credit, he doesn’t falsely rusticate. His natives drive trucks past ruined Soviet airstrips. They wear cheugy leopard-print sweaters when they spin wool. That’s life." —Walker Mimms, The New York Times"This beautifully produced travel book follows Wilton-Steer’s explorations along the 40,000km path from Italy to China along the famous Silk Road network of routes […] the result is engaging. For anyone who dreams of traveling the classic, myth- and legend-bound routes, this book will be a joy." —W. Scott Olsen, FRAMES"Wilton-Steer approaches [his subjects] as an artist and documentary photographer. These are not glossy holiday brochure photos butmoments of movement, of intrigue, of ordinary life, flawed as well asbeautiful. […] What is clear in every one of Wilton-Steer’s photos is that he is genuinely fascinated by the world around him, be it life played out on the steps down to the Ganges in Varanasi or in the pausing of a passer-by in Tabriz’s covered bazaar. His focus, his enthusiasm, is infectious […] [I]n every page, there is curiosity, wanderlust, and an appreciation for the complex majesty of our shared world." —Sophie Ibbotson, Asian Affairs"From aerial views of modern-day Venice to a 15th-century caravanserai in Kyrgyzstan, Christopher Wilton-Steer’s awe-inspiring photographs capture contemporary views of life along a series of 1,500-year-old trade routes." —Kate Mothes, Colossal"With his gorgeous photography, Christopher Wilton-Steer documents the last leg of his 40,000 km journey along the Silk Road. In his recently published book, he travels eastward from Italy all the way to Beijing, weaving together the famed trade route’s history with the present day. Here, Wilton-Steer has shared the final portion of his odyssey from the Pakistan border into China. The far western reaches of the mainland are not an area I’ve visited yet, but the striking landscape of Dunhuang and the Gobi Desert are calling." —Cat Nelson, South China Morning Post"Photographer Christopher Wilton-Steer’s recently published book “The Silk Road: A Living History” is more than just a travelogue or photo collection. Adorned with 150 original photographs, alongside personal reflections, it is a vivid reminder of the shared history that connects us all [...] What makes “The Silk Road” stand out is the combination of visuals with the author’s personal insights. He offers a fresh, personal perspective on the historic trade route that connected the East and West for more than 1,600 years [...] Published by Hemeria, a publisher specializing in high-quality photo books, “The Silk Road: A Living History” can be a great addition to yourcoffee table or bookshelf." —Jasmine Bager, Arab News