13 Forgotten Trade Routes That Built Empires
The world was transformed by trade routes in ways that history texts tend to ignore. Although the well-known Silk Road is well-known, there are several additional routes that transported products, concepts, and cultures across continents, establishing empires and altering the trajectory of human civilization. These lost trade routes were the first thoroughfares of globalization, and they were used for more than just transporting silk and spices.
Today’s global economy owes more to these ancient traders than most people realize. Here is a list of 13 forgotten trade routes that built empires and connected the world in ways we’re still discovering.
The Trans-Saharan Salt Route
Merchants were traversing the Sahara in caravans carrying salt, which was more precious than gold, long before Europeans even set foot in Africa. This ‘white gold’ was extremely important in sub-Saharan Africa since it was necessary for food preservation and for sustaining life in hot temperatures.
The route established prosperous trading communities like Timbuktu and laid the groundwork for the Mali and Songhai empires by linking the salt resources of the north with the gold fields of the south.
The Amber Road
This ancient superhighway carried Baltic amber from the northern seas all the way to the Mediterranean, spanning over 1,000 miles. The Romans were absolutely crazy about amber, believing it had magical properties and using it for everything from jewelry to medicine.
The route was so profitable that it helped establish trade relationships between Germanic tribes and the Roman Empire, essentially creating Europe’s first luxury goods market.
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The Incense Route
Frankincense and myrrh weren’t just gifts for baby Jesus—they were the petroleum of the ancient world. These aromatic resins, harvested in what’s now Yemen and Oman, traveled north through Arabia to satisfy the massive demand in Egypt, Greece, and Rome.
The route was so lucrative that it supported entire civilizations and made small Arabian kingdoms incredibly wealthy, proving that sometimes the most valuable cargo comes in small packages.
The Northern Tea Route
While most people know about the southern tea trade, the northern route through Russia was equally important for building empires. Chinese tea traveled thousands of miles overland to reach European tables via Siberian trading posts.
This route was slower than the sea routes but produced higher-quality tea since it wasn’t exposed to sea air and moisture, making it the preferred choice for Russian nobility.
The Lapita Trade Network
Long before Columbus ‘discovered’ the New World, Pacific islanders were already master navigators and traders. The Lapita people developed a trade network that stretched across thousands of miles of open ocean, connecting islands from New Guinea to Fiji.
They traded everything from obsidian tools to pottery, proving that you don’t need roads to build a trade empire—sometimes you just need really good boats.
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The Varangian Route
Vikings weren’t just raiders—they were also savvy businesspeople who established one of Europe’s most important trade routes. This ‘route from the Varangians to the Greeks’ connected Scandinavia to Constantinople via Russian rivers.
Vikings would portage their boats between waterways, trading furs, amber, and slaves for Byzantine silk and silver, essentially creating medieval Europe’s version of international commerce.
The Maritime Silk Road
While the overland Silk Road gets all the attention, the sea route was just as important for empire building. This network of nautical trade routes connected China to India, the Middle East, and Africa via the Indian Ocean.
Ships could carry much larger loads than camel caravans, making this route essential for moving bulk goods like porcelain, spices, and textiles that built fortunes across Asia.
The Great Rift Valley Route
Africa’s Great Rift Valley wasn’t just a geological wonder—it was also a natural highway for early human migration and trade. This route connected East Africa to the Mediterranean and beyond, carrying goods like ivory, gold, and exotic animals.
The profits from this trade helped fund the construction of some of Africa’s greatest ancient cities and supported complex trading civilizations that European explorers would later encounter.
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The Fur Trade Route of North America
Before European colonization changed everything, Native American tribes had established sophisticated trade networks spanning the continent. The fur trade route connected the Great Lakes region to both coasts, moving beaver pelts, decorative shells, and copper goods across thousands of miles.
This network was so efficient that European traders simply plugged into existing routes rather than creating new ones.
The Spice Islands Route
The race to control the spice trade literally reshaped the map of the world. The route to the Moluccas (Spice Islands) in modern-day Indonesia was so valuable that nations fought wars over it.
Nutmeg, cloves, and mace were worth more than their weight in gold in Europe, and controlling this route meant controlling global commerce, which is why everyone from the Portuguese to the Dutch fought so hard for these tiny islands.
The Hanseatic League Routes
The Hanseatic League wasn’t a country—it was a medieval business alliance that controlled trade across Northern Europe. Their network of routes connected over 200 cities around the Baltic and North Seas, moving everything from grain to manufactured goods.
The League was so powerful that it could make or break kingdoms, proving that sometimes the pen (or in this case, the ledger) is mightier than the sword.
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The Turquoise Trail
This route connected the turquoise mines of the American Southwest to markets in Mexico and Central America. The precious blue-green stones were highly valued by pre-Columbian civilizations, who used them for jewelry, decoration, and religious ceremonies.
The trail was so important that wars were fought over control of turquoise sources, and the wealth it generated helped support major civilizations like the Ancestral Puebloans.
The Tin Route
Bronze Age civilizations needed tin to make bronze, but tin deposits were rare and scattered. This created one of history’s first global supply chains, with tin traveling from Cornwall in Britain and the Iberian Peninsula to bronze workshops across Europe and the Mediterranean.
The route was so crucial that interruptions in tin supply could literally change the balance of power between civilizations.
Where Ancient Paths Meet Modern Commerce
These forgotten trade routes weren’t just ancient history—they were the blueprints for today’s global economy. The same principles that made these routes successful—finding valuable goods, establishing reliable transportation, and building trust between distant partners—still drive international trade today.
Many modern shipping lanes and trade agreements follow paths that were first blazed by merchants thousands of years ago. The empires may have fallen, but the routes they built continue to connect our world, reminding us that trade has always been humanity’s great connector.
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