Caravanserais were roadside inns that were built along the Silk Road in areas including China, North Africa and the Middle East. They were typically【C1】_____outside the walls of a city or village and were usually funded by governments or【C2】_____.

This word “caravanserais” is a【C3】_____of the Persian word [] , which means a group of travellers or a caravan, and [], a palace or enclosed building. The term caravan was used to【C4】__groups of people who travelled together across the ancient network for safety reasons, 【C5】_____merchants, travellers or pilgrims.

From the 10th century onwards, as merchant and travel routes become more developed, the【C6】_____of the caravanserais increased and they served as a safe place for people to rest at night. Travellers on the Silk Road【C7】__possibility of being attacked by thieves or being【C8】__to extreme conditions. For this reason, caravanserais were strategically placed【C9】_____they could be reached in a day’s travel time.

Caravanserais served as an informal【C10】_____point for the various people who travelled the Silk Road. 【C11】__, those structures became important centers for cultural【C12】__and interaction, with travellers sharing their cultures, ideas and beliefs, 【C13】__talking knowledge with them, greatly【C14】_____the development of several civilizations.

Caravanserais were also an important marketplace for commodities and【C15】_____in the trade of goods along the Silk Road. 【C16】__, it was frequently the first stop merchants looking to sell their wares and【C17】__supplies for their own journeys. It is【C18】__that around 12,000 to 15,000 caravanserais were built along the Silk Road, 【C19】__only about 3,000 are known to remain today, many of which are in【C20】_____.

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