Discuss the archaeological evidence for the rise of long-distance contacts along the Silk Road during the 1st millennium BC.

The Silk Road was actually a collection of caravan routes which conveyed could from Chang'an, China to the west, terminating at Rome. There are two types of archaeological evidence for the increasing number of contacts along these routes and increasing trade, namely western goods found in China and other points to the east and Chinese goods found in the west. Additionally, archaeologists are finding evidence along the actual caravan routes. 

Among the earliest evidence for trade...

The Silk Road was actually a collection of caravan routes which conveyed could from Chang'an, China to the west, terminating at Rome. There are two types of archaeological evidence for the increasing number of contacts along these routes and increasing trade, namely western goods found in China and other points to the east and Chinese goods found in the west. Additionally, archaeologists are finding evidence along the actual caravan routes. 

Among the earliest evidence for trade in silk and other Oriental goods towards the west are found in classical Greek (5th century BC) graves. The Silk Routes were officially sponsored by the Han Dynasty in China starting in 139 BCE, but realistically they were extensions of the Persian Road Road and subsequent road building of Alexander the Great and his successor empires. 

The city of Loulan in western China was an important stop on the Silk Road, and graves of various Mediterranean peoples from the first millennium have been found there. The increase in foreign burials over time and increasing varied and valuable goods accompanying the burials are evidence for increased trade.

Greek pottery and native pottery influenced by Greek styles have been found in Sogdiana, showing the increase of trade. The growth of settlements along various caravan routes also suggests an increase in trade.