Discover our resources, events and activities
IDP has developed many resources to support studies of the vast Silk Roads network. Explore our Discover page to find out more about the Silk Roads and the people who lived and worked along them.
Our news
Exhibition Learning Activities
This blog post is thanks to the British Library Learning Team. Thank you to those who contributed including Katy Jackson, Emma Tutton, Emma Brinkhurst, Laura Chesover, …
A Silk Road Oasis Symposium Recordings Available Now
To celebrate the successful close of the exhibition A Silk Road Oasis: Life in Ancient Dunhuang, the British Library and the IDP hosted a symposium …
Sister, Master, Guardian of Dharma – Life of Nun Liaokong and the Dating of a Scroll
This blog post is by Zining Zheng, independent scholar and researcher of Chinese Historical Phonology and related subjects. This blog discusses scroll Or.8210/S.2669 which was …
Two Precious Items Copied by a Sogdian Scribe
This blog post is by Ursula Sims-Williams, Lead Curator of Persian at the British Library. This blog discusses the Ashem vohu (British Library, Or.8212/84), which …
Scribes at Dunhuang: Pens, Paper and Punishments
As showcased in the current exhibition at the British Library, A Silk Road Oasis: Life in Ancient Dunhuang (27 September 2024–23 February 2025), the manuscripts …
Programme of 'A Silk Road Oasis Symposium: Exploring Dunhuang's Multifaceted Legacy'
Don’t miss our two-day symposium on February 21-22, celebrating the closing of the exhibition A Silk Road Oasis: Life in Ancient Dunhuang. Held in person …
An Omen-filled Exhibition
This blog post is by Dr. Michael Erdman, Head of Middle East and Central Asia, British Library. This blog discusses manuscript Or.8212/161 which was on display …
The Mysterious Names of Dunhuang
This blog post is by Kitty Liu, Exhibition Project Curator for A Silk Road Oasis: Life in Ancient Dunhuang (27 September 2024—23 February 2025). Upon entering …
The IDP has developed a variety of resources you can use to learn about the Silk Roads. In addition to the free online database, we have put together supplemental resources like online exhibitions, technical essays about related topics like conservation and digitisation, information on our current activities and projects, and our IDP News archive, which contains useful academic articles and historic project updates.
If you are interested in a particular topic or wish to see more resources of a specific type, please get in contact.