Winding Routes and Precarious Switchbacks

Silk Road developments increased interconnectivity through trade, but little is written about the resulting effect on food diversity. I used three methodologically, geographically and temporally diverse studies examining aspects of during period to identify key factors affecting botanical dietary diversification in Central Asia first millennium. Archaeological historical data from a study Tashbulak (800-1100) revealed narrowing genetic diversity accompanying cultivation, also broadening options trade human interventions that created new plant varieties. A comparative medieval (500-1300) using remains published isotopic (δ13C δ15N) records urban non-urban consumers Turkmenistan-Uzbekistan-Kazakhstan region showed fostered greater overall than occurred Iron Age early millennium (1300 BCE- 600 CE). It that, although enhanced opportunities facilitated food-diversity trend, positive movement was eroded by urban, insular agricultural communities with reified social structures. Foodways analysis recipe books Mongol (1200-1400), multi-cultural interaction diversity, whereas changing power dynamics, tradition, sense place countered trend. The not unilinear path toward rather, series winding routes beset potentially precarious switchbacks. Travelling back along uncovers critical turning points can inform global approaches 21st century.