Old World Encounters

This innovative book examines cross-cultural encounters before 1492 focusing in particular on the major cross-cultural influences that transformed Asia and Europe during this period: the ancient silk roads that linked China with the Roman Empire the spread of the world religions and the Mongol Empire of the thirteenth century. The author''s goal throughout the work is to examine the conditions--political social economic or cultural--that enable one culture to influence mix with or suppress another. On the basis of its global analysis the book identifies several distinctive pattern of conversion conflict and compromise that emerged from cross-cultural encounters. In doing so it elucidates that larger historical context of encounters between Europeans and other peoples in modern times. Old World Encounters is ideal for students of world geography religion and civilizations.