Denyer is a senior world heritage advisor to the International Council on Monuments and Sites

Throughout history, the Silk Road and the Maritime Silk Road spanned almost a quarter of the Earth and operated for over 1,500 years, leaving a significant cultural imprint not only in architecture, trade, and commodities but also in community organization. From the 10th to the 14th century, the trading system reached its peak, with various regional routes intertwining to form the so-called first global system. The Silk Road system has proven to have strong vitality, surviving through peaks and valleys.