ancient trade route
1
6.5
- noun
:
ruta comercial antigua
- His questions may reveal Jewish participation in European colonialism or uncover well-worn ancient trade routes.
- follow an ancient trade route
Examples
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You could almost leap into Spain from Morocco, and one could easily walk across into the Middle East, along ancient trade routes, from the East and Western lands, exchanging merchandise and cultures.
Academic text (2015) -
Then here, then there, stone monuments began to emerge on the ancient trade route.
Fiction book (2002) -
An unfortunate reminder of earthly behavior was the litter that lined this ancient trade route.
Academic text (1991) -
Still more intriguing are the Roman shipwrecks that have been discovered on the seabed below the ancient trade routes that crossed the Indian Ocean.
Academic text (2010) -
Residue analysis and trace element studies already allow us to identify Tutankhamun's wines, reconstruct the funeral feast of King Midas of Gordion in about 700 B.C., and study ancient trade routes.
Academic text (2006) -
The archaeologist discovered artifacts along the ancient trade route that connected the East and West.
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Merchants once used the ancient trade route to transport silk and spices across vast distances.
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Many cultures flourished because of their strategic location along the ancient trade route that linked major cities.
Synonyms
∞
1.0
A path or road from one place to another
∞
1.0
A road or path people use to travel between places
11
3.0
A regular route used to carry goods between regions or countries
How Old
1
6.5
11
3.0
Surface Forms
Morphology
Each word's meaning ('ancient' = from long ago, 'trade' = exchange of goods, 'route' = path) composes directly to give the intended sense of a historical path used for commerce. This noun–noun compound follows regular English composition patterns and has close parallels in other languages, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents will readily derive the meaning.
Etymology
Ancient trade route gives a clear picture: long lines of traders and camels moving along an old road—ancient means very old, trade is buying and selling, and route is the road. So, it means 'a historical pathway where people exchanged goods'.