Commodity production, markets and the cities of Asia

Asian cities often arose as administrative centres or military fortresses and then grew quickly through crafts and trade. The largest were Chang’an and Luoyang (China), Kyoto and Kamakura (Japan), Delhi, Baghdad, Bukhara and Samarkand. Because they arose on state land they did not struggle against big landowners as European cities did. Central Asian cities usually had three parts: at the centre the ruler’s fortress, the ark; around it the shahristan; and outside it the rabad, quarters of craftsmen. Bazaars were divided into rows (rasta), each selling one kind of goods. Chinese craftsmen built large ships, junks, that could hold hundreds of people. Japan’s capital Heian (Heian-kyō) later came to be called Kyoto (“capital city”). Samarkand became famous under Amir Temur. Craftsmen joined guilds whose elders collected taxes. Cities at the crossroads of the Silk Road were transit trade centres. Trading cities in Africa such as Timbuktu grew rich on the trade in gold, salt and ivory.