Caravan (travellers) facts for kids
A caravan is a group of people traveling together. They often go on long trips, especially for trade. Caravans were mostly used in desert areas and along famous routes like the Silk Road. Traveling in groups helped protect against bandits, much like convoys at sea protected against piracy. It also helped traders share costs and make more money. In the 14th century, some caravans were reported to have as many as 12,000 camels!
In the past, caravans traveled across East Asia and Europe. They often carried valuable goods like silks or jewelry. They would trade these for things like salt, gold, or copper. At first, donkey carts were used. Later, single-hump camels became popular. Camels could travel long distances with very little water.
Why Travel in Caravans?
Traveling in a caravan offered safety. A large group was harder for bandits to attack. It also helped with "economies of scale." This means that by traveling together, traders could share costs and transport more goods. This made their journeys more profitable.
What is a Caravanserai?
Caravans needed a lot of goods and animals. They were a rich target for robbers. The profits from a successful trade journey could be huge. Many rulers along important trade routes built special places called caravanserai. These were like roadside inns or rest stops. At a caravanserai, caravans could rest their animals and get more supplies.
However, there was a limit to how much a caravan could carry. For example, a caravan of 500 camels could only transport about half the goods carried by a regular merchant ship.
Caravans Today
Even today, caravans still carry important goods in some parts of the world. For instance, camel trains still cross the southern parts of the Sahara Desert. Also, modern caravans can be made up of many cars, trucks, or busses traveling together.
Images for kids
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Edwin Lord Weeks, Arrival of a Caravan Outside the City of Morocco
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A trade caravan passing the Isle of Graia in the Gulf of Akabah, Arabia Petraea,1839 lithograph by Louis Haghe from an original by David Roberts
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Camel caravan in Morocco, November 2013
See also
In Spanish: Caravana (comitiva) para niños
