Lecture: The History of the Silk Road

On Tuesday 8 December, the Vrienden van Archeon (VVvA) will once again host a lecture at the Archeologiehuis Zuid-Holland.

Title: The History of the Silk Road in Central Asia
Speaker: René Moorman

About the lecture:

The history of the Silk Road in Central Asia.

What comes from far away is delicious, beautiful, and above all, luxurious. Trade routes are much older than recorded history. The earliest trade mainly involved essential goods such as salt, hides, and flint. Crafts such as bone combs also found their way across regions. If you could afford luxury goods, you could obtain beautiful items from much further away.

During the Bronze Age, trade became increasingly important. The Scythians travelled on horseback and established contacts with the Far East. In addition to bronze, horse trading also became an important part of commerce. Alexander the Great founded a vast empire that reached as far as the Indus River. However, it was mainly the prosperity of the Romans that made the Silk Road possible.

The journeys of Marco Polo and the trade of Italian cities made luxury goods available to a wider audience, and this may have also been how the first pasta reached Italy. When the Silk Road declined, people searched for alternative routes, eventually sailing around the Cape of Good Hope and opening new paths across the seas.

About the speaker:

René Moorman has been travelling through Russia, Western Asia, and Central Asia for more than 30 years. He organizes tailor-made trips for small groups and individual travellers. With his extensive experience, knowledge, and passion for this part of the world, he takes you into the fascinating world of the Silk Road.

He studied Theology and Philosophy of Life at the Educational Faculty in Amsterdam. Through this, he expanded his knowledge and learned even more about the great diversity of cultures and religions within Russia and Central Asia. Thanks to his knowledge of the Russian language, he is able to make contact with local people relatively easily.

Location: Archeologiehuis Zuid-Holland, next to the entrance of Museumpark Archeon.
Archeonlaan, 2408 ZB Alphen aan den Rijn.

Practical information:

Date: 8 December 2026
Doors open: 19:30
Lecture starts: 20:00
Ends before: 22:00

Free parking is available in the Museumpark Archeon parking area. There will be a short break, with drinks available at friends’ prices. Please pay in cash.

Free tickets — booking required via:
https://www.vrienden-archeon.nl/agenda

Transferring or reselling tickets is not permitted.

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