Essay · 3 min · EN
A Buddha on the Red Sea
A locally carved statue from Roman Egypt illuminates the maritime connections between the Mediterranean and India.
Writing
Essays and field notes
Essays, field notes and research by Noam Backner on China, Inner Asia, Buddhism, the Silk Roads, food, agriculture and the lived experience of place.
Silk Road (3)All writing
Essay · 4 min · EN
Sufi Roads: From Central Asia to Jerusalem
Pilgrims, hospices and the age of steam along the Sufi routes linking Central Asia with the Holy City.
Essay · 3 min · EN
The Silk Road—or the Paper Road?
From everyday invention to waxed sheets flecked with gold, Chinese paper carried knowledge, authority and beauty far beyond the Silk Road.