翻译精美文章4Newarchae
New archaeological discovers suggest that trade between Europe and Asia along the Silk Road probably began in some form many countries earlier than once thought。 The findings, coupled with a widening range of scientific and historical research, could add a fascinating new page to the epic of the...全部
New archaeological discovers suggest that trade between Europe and Asia along the Silk Road probably began in some form many countries earlier than once thought。
The findings, coupled with a widening range of scientific and historical research, could add a fascinating new page to the epic of the Silk Road。
The latest and most surprising discovery is pieces of silk found in the hair of an Egyptian mummy from about 1000 BC, long before regular traffic on the Silk Road and at least one thousand years before silk was previously thought to be used in Egypt。
Other research may extend human activity along this route back even further, perhaps a million years to the migration of human ancestors into eastern Asia。
考古新发现表明，通过丝绸之路进行的欧亚贸易很可能在早先公认的时间之前就已经以某种方式在许多国家开始了。随着科学研究和史学研究范围的扩大，研究结果将可以在丝绸之路这一史诗中增添引人入胜的崭新一页。
最新的发现是在出土的一具迄今约在公元前1000年的埃及木乃伊的头发中竟然找到了几片丝绸，这真是让人喜出望外。这一证据表明，丝绸之路的贸易历史将远早于在丝绸之路出现固定交通线之前，比以前认为的丝绸仅在埃及被人使用的年代要至少上推一千年。
此外，其他的研究也佐证了丝绸之路沿线的人类活动甚至可以大大向前追溯，也许100万年前人类的祖先就迁移到了亚洲东部。
The official origin of East-West commerce along the road is usually placed in the late 2nd century BC when an agent of the Chinese Emperor Wu-di returned from a dangerous secret mission（使命）across the desert into the remote high country of Central Asia。
The agent, Zhang Qian, travelled as far as Afghanistan and brought back knowledge of even more distant lands such as Persia, Syria and a place known as Lijien, perhaps Rome。
Historians have called this one of the most important journeys in ancient times。 His journey opened the way for what have been thought to be the first indirect contacts between the ancient world’s two superpowers, China and Rome。
Chinese silk, first traded to central Asian tribes for war horses and to the Parthians of old Persia in exchange for acrobats and ostrich eggs, was soon finding its way through a network of merchants to the luxury markets of Rome。
沿丝绸之路进行的东西方贸易官方认可的最早时间通常被划定在公元前二世纪下半叶，当时汉朝的汉武帝派遣的一位特使完成了一项穿越欧亚诸国的危险重重的秘密使命并安然返回祖国。这位叫张骞的特使曾穿越沙漠进入到远方的中亚高地国家，其足迹甚至远达阿富汗，最后回国时带回了更遥远一些地方的情报，包括波斯，叙利亚以及当时称作黎吉恩，可能是现在的罗马的地方。
历史学家历来将此壮举称为古代最重要的旅行之一。中国和罗马历来被认为是古代世界上的两个超级大国，张骞的旅行为中国和罗马之间首次间接交往开辟了道路。中国丝绸首次（以易货贸易形式）被运往中亚各部落换取战马并且中国丝绸还被带到旧波斯的帕提亚换取杂技演员和鸵鸟蛋。
中国丝绸最终通过商人圈子和罗马的奢侈品市场渠道很快打开了市场。
But the new discoveries show that Chinese silk was apparently present in the West long before the Han emperor started organized trade over the Silk Road。
The research could change thinking about the early history of world trade and provide insights into the mystery of just how and when Europe and the Mediterranean lands first became aware of the glorious culture at the other end of Eurasia。
然而新的发现也表明，中国丝绸出现在西方的历史明显要早于汉高祖在位期间有组织地开展丝绸之路贸易的时间。这项研究可能改变世界贸易的早期历史观并为人们了解当时的欧洲大陆和地中海延岸国家是如何并在何时开始认识到欧亚大陆另一端的（中国古代）灿烂文化的情况提供了深入探究奥秘的钥匙。
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