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My ideas about the silk road in history have developed over years of teaching Central Eurasian history at Georgetown University. First, then, my thanks to students in my classes who, among other things, have gamely attempted to play the komuz, drink kumis, and even eat bondegi in their quest for higher knowledge and better grades. Undergraduates participating in my seminars on the silk road in 2011 and 2012 wrote papers on such topics as lapis, jade, cartography, camels, domes, and dragons. They taught me a good deal. I hope that in time they will learn to love Italo Calvino's Invisible Cities as I do.
Many others contributed in diverse ways. Jeffery Popovich and the staff at Lauinger Library provided me with space to work and rapid access to any sources I wanted. Bridget Ansell, a magnificent researcher, found such good material that I often wished this introduction were not so “very short.” I’m particularly glad that she reminded me about the three hares. I was privileged to read Valerie Hansen's The Silk Road: A New History before publication; her insights, especially on the neglected role of the state in promoting the silk road, have influenced me here. Alison Futrell answered questions on Rome, barbarian queens, and sourcing Latin texts. Christopher Atwood, David Brophy, Al Dien, and Uli Shamiloglu indulged me in a discussion of the words manti/mantou in Chinese and various Altaic languages. Michael Green and Sarah Dixon Klump each contributed on the subject of dumplings, and Christine Kim confirmed certain of my observations about Korean picnicking practices. Michelle Wang informed me on art historical questions and anything related to Dunhuang. Javier Puente helped me communicate with the Patrimonio Nacional in Madrid. Katie Knight, general manager of Revolution Cycles in Georgetown, sold me a new tire and provided me with references on ancient Egyptian beer-making. Carol Benedict, Alison Games, David Goldfrank, Sarah Dixon Klump, Jennifer Long, John McNeill, Micah Muscolino, Aviel Roshwald, Song Yi, and Howard Spendelow read all or part of the draft manuscript, and their suggestions have improved the final product. Jeff Wasserstrom introduced me to my editor at Oxford University Press, Nancy Toff, whose uncompromising approach to jargon and verbosity Genghis Khan would have appreciated, as readers no doubt will as well. Mary Sutherland copyedited the manuscript with similar thoroughness, and Joellyn Ausanka shepherded it through production with great efficiency.
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