As kids, we all learned in school about the ancient trade routes used to move spices, tea, and other commodities around the world. The most well-known was the Silk Road, of course, but it was the maritime spice routes that brought explorers around the globe and even played a role in Columbus’ “discovery” of America. Now, you and I both know someone can’t discover land that someone else already lives on, but that’s another topic for a different article.

When learning about these trade routes, we also learned that they served a purpose beyond just trade between countries. These roads also facilitated cultural exchange: religions, ideas, and knowledge. But unfortunately, we also learned about these trade routes in the past tense.