Editing Silk Road (section)

== Expansion of the arts ==
{{Main|Silk Road transmission of art}}
[[File:WindGods.JPG|thumb|upright=1.6|Iconographical evolution of the Wind God. Left: Greek Wind God from [[Hadda, Afghanistan|Hadda]], 2nd century. Middle: Wind God from [[Kizil Caves|Kizil]], [[Tarim Basin]], 7th century. Right: Japanese Wind God [[Fūjin|Fujin]], 17th century.]]

Many artistic influences were transmitted via the Silk Road, particularly through Central Asia, where [[Hellenistic]], [[Persian art|Iranian]], [[Indian art|Indian]] and [[Chinese art|Chinese]] influences could intermix. [[Greco-Buddhist art]] represents one of the most vivid examples of this interaction. Silk was also a representation of art, serving as a religious symbol. Most importantly, silk was used as currency for trade along the silk road.{{sfn|Liu|2010|p=21}}

These artistic influences can be seen in the development of Buddhism where, for instance, Buddha was first depicted as human in the Kushan period. Many scholars have attributed this to Greek influence. The mixture of Greek and Indian elements can be found in later Buddhist art in China and throughout countries on the Silk Road.{{sfn|Foltz|1999|p=45}}

The production of art consisted of many different items that were traded along the Silk Roads from the East to the West. One common product, the [[lapis lazuli]], was a blue stone with golden specks, which was used as paint after it was ground into powder.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Silk Road and Beyond: Travel, Trade, and Transformation |url=http://www.artic.edu/aic/exhibitions/silkroad/themes.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161114062335/http://www.artic.edu/aic/exhibitions/silkroad/themes.html |archive-date=14 November 2016 |access-date=15 November 2016 |website=Art Institute of Chicago website}}</ref>