As we know, humans have lived in communities for millennia now, so cultural exchange is nothing new. When early human groups interacted with each other, it was mostly to gather food or resources, or to take advantage of each other’s strengths. It wasn’t always easy though! When ancient tribes encountered each other, there were often […]
As we know, humans have lived in communities for millennia now, so cultural exchange is nothing new. When early human groups interacted with each other, it was mostly to gather food or resources, or to take advantage of each other’s strengths.
It wasn’t always easy though! When ancient tribes encountered each other, there were often clashes over land, resources and people. Sometimes these conflicts turned deadly.
Fortunately, humanity has evolved past such violence, which makes interactions much less likely to result in full-on warfare. Instead, people tend to focus more on their similarities than differences, and work together to achieve a common goal.
This article will talk about some examples of how culture spread through trade. We’ll look at both direct exchanges between individuals, as well as small trinkets that got traded around the world.
There are many theories about how cultures emerge and evolve, but one theory that has gathered momentum is called diffusionism. This theory states that differences between groups arise from people interacting with each other.
People in one group may learn something new from another group, which they then apply to their own culture. For example, someone who eats Chinese food might pick up the language used for speaking and writing China.
Another way this happens is through contact with different societies. Because humans are social creatures, we tend to develop relationships with others like us. Therefore, if you live near a foreign country, you’ll start learning more about it because of your neighbors.
These experiences can add onto what you already know, or create new knowledge depending on what you were previously informed of. In addition, things you learned before you had contacts outside of your community help you understand society concepts now applied to different settings.
This process creates an interactive flow of information where both parties get modified by the other. Over time, hard-wired behaviors begin to take over and only strong similarities remain. And even those weaken as people modify what parts of the other culture appeal to them.
Here, there are two cultures that interact creating modifications within each other. Only some parts stay, while others disappear due to being rejected or no longer useful.
Overall, both groups lose pieces that don’t matter much any more and gain ones that helped in their own setting.
One of the most well-known examples of cultural exchange due to trade is the ancient trading route known as the Silk Route. This was an extensive network of merchant routes that spanned across Asia and Europe, going back at least 2,000 years ago.
The term “Silk” comes from the Chinese word for glimmer or shine. Merchants would make silk by weaving raw materials together into long strings which they then dyed with natural chemicals such as mulberry juice or madder root. These dyes were very expensive so only the wealthy could afford them!
Most people in those days lived in small villages without much access to things like woolen cloth and dyeing agents, making silk extremely luxurious. It was also cost effective because it took little time and energy to produce compared to other clothes types.
This made it valuable not just as clothing but as a form of currency since you didn’t need too many to convey your message or value yourself. An individual piece of silk could be passed off as worth one day’s wages for a worker!
As more and more merchants became familiar with this elegant fabric, it spread through direct contact and inspiration. Others who had access to this luxury item may have even copied it and modified it slightly to add personal touches.
A few examples include adding new colors or patterns, changing the material to satin instead of pure silk, or creating their own unique style with elaborate embroidery or decorations.
In 2006, art historian Diana Borthwick found an intricately designed quilt in Zimbabwe. It was called the “Rhinoceros” or “Wild Rhino” quilt and it features black rhino skin patterned with zebra stripes and other colors. This particular piece is made of leather and silk and has embroidered details.
This isn’t your average bedspread! The artist used various shades of brown, cream, gray, and light blue to create his design. He even painted some parts gold!
The painting is striking because of all of the textures and patterns. Some say that this artistic work resembles those designs we see today in tribal artwork like tattoos.
Zimbabwe is known for its rich culture which includes many traditions. Many people believe that the artists who created the Rhinoceros quilt picked up such styles from traveling across Africa. They may have also seen similar designs online or through exposure to cultures with similar aesthetics.
Between 500 and 700 AD, Viking groups began exploring Northern Europe. They traveled across vast areas of land looking for new resources and opportunities to expand their kingdoms. Many scholars refer to this time period as the Norse Bronze Age.
The first people who referred to themselves as “Vikings” were actually Gästanden (or Geathanders) from what is now Germany. These early settlers moved south into what is now Denmark before moving west towards Scandinavia. It was not until later that other cultures influenced by Germanic tribes gave them the name “Viking.”
These explorers would go onto establish powerful dynasties all throughout northern Europe. Some stayed within their country borders while others engaged in trade with neighboring countries.
Interaction between different nations allowed for cultural exchange. People shared knowledge and experiences through conversation, reading, and teaching. Concepts such as religion, government, and philosophy came about because of these exchanges.
Furthermore, many things we use today were inspired or adapted from something foreign. Computers are a perfect example! Ancient Greeks knew how to count up past ten using fingers and toes, so when someone invented the number sign zero, they incorporated this concept. Zero became our modern-day placeholder value.
There you have it! By studying how interactions shaped culture, we can see how important these exchanges really are.
Recent controversies surrounding China have focused largely on its growing economic power, and concerns about whether it will use this wealth to dominate or destroy other nations.
But what many people don’t realize is that Western culture has been an integral part of the growth of modern-day China. Many aspects of the culture we consider “Western” actually originated in Europe and then spread across Asia and North America.
China was not only influenced by foreign cultures, but also contributed back to our own cultural legacy. Some concepts that we now take for granted, such as the alphabet, decimal place notation, and direct election of presidents, were all introduced to China centuries ago!
In fact, some scholars believe that China may even be the source of several ideas found in western civilization. This seems quite paradoxical at first, but makes sense when you think about it.
Chinese culture is full of references to imported knowledge. Even today, you can find statues depicting Confucius with his hand up, asking why someone else isn’t helping him read a book.
Interestingly enough, there are stories told among both ancient Greeks and Romans about how their respective cultures got wiped out due to internal strife.
The most influential culture that Spain left behind in North and South America was not their religion or cuisine, but rather their language. People who speak Spanish are referred to as Español speakers, while people with native levels of fluency are called Hispanic or Latino.
Spanish is the second most spoken language in the world, only exceeded by Mandarin Chinese. It is also the official language of over 200 countries around the globe! There are an estimated 1 billion people all over the world who speak at least some Spanish, making it one of the top ten languages in the world.
Many Americans have limited understanding of other languages, even if they are fluent in others. This can sometimes create bias towards individuals who are more well-spoken. Many institutions, such as universities, require students to be able to speak and understand basic grammar and vocabulary of another language to enroll.
The impact of this requirement extends beyond just individual education, however. By studying foreign languages, you show an interest in learning about other cultures. You prove that you are willing to invest time into developing your knowledge and skills, which creates a positive perception about yourself as a person.
It also helps develop teamwork and communication skills, since you must work with people whose first language is different than yours.
Before modern times, Japan was very isolated from other cultures. They were mostly focused on developing their country and culture. This includes creating an internalized sense of who they are as people.
However, during the Edo period (1603-1868), there was significant contact with China and Southeast Asia. As well as Europe and America. These foreign influences came to Japan through trade routes.
The Chinese influence can be seen in many aspects of Japanese culture, such as kimonos, tea, rice dishes, and even sushi! The Europeans and Americans also left behind various cultural concepts that we still use today, like the alphabet and money.
These exchanges have helped shape what it means to be Japanese — how they perceive themselves and others around them, and what types of food they enjoy.
There would be no art, music or literature. We as humans need other cultures to learn about different philosophies, mythologies and ways of life.
We also learned something from these exchanges: how to do things better! For example, the Romans were experts at constructing sturdy buildings that last for many generations. The Arabs are still masters of this field more than 1,000 years later.
By studying what others have done, we can improve our own skills and create new ones that shift the game board.
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