Kashgar Tribal Artifacts - Life for the Modern Nomad | Handmade Jewellery, ethnic handicrafts, antique furniture

With China's relentless pursuit of 'the car', bicycles are becoming a rarer and rarer sight, at least in the main cities of its eastern seaboard. However, that shouldn't put off those keen to keep their carbon footprint low whilst following our route on the Silk Road...

Paul Wilson has been traveling the Silk Road for over ten years and has written several books and articles on the route. He has passed through Kashgar many times and on moving to Sydney came across our version of Kashgar in Bondi Junction. His latest book: The Silk Roads (Trailblazer Publications) is available nationwide and also in our store.

Possibly named after the Greek word "sapphiros", meaning blue (although all blue gemstones were called sapphiros at that time), sapphires were unknown in the west before the Roman Empire; however in the east, stones were mined in India and Sri Lanka from at least the 1st Century BC onwards...