The Silk Road was an ancient network of trade routes connecting Europe with Asia, stretching from Mediterranean Sea to the Korean peninsula and to Japan. The Silk Road derives its name from the lucrative trade in silk. The expansion of trade routes started around 114 BC, during the Han dynasty and played a very important role in the development of China, Japan and Europe. Though silk was the major trade item exported from China, many other goods like metals, horses, weapons, spices and jewels were traded. These vast networks carried more than just merchandise and precious commodities: the constant movement and mixing of people also brought about the transmission of knowledge, ideas, cultures and beliefs, which had a profound impact on the history and civilizations of the Eurasian people.