Along The Musk Routes: Exchanges Between Tibet and The Islamic World

Abstract

From as early as the ninth century onwards, Arabic literature praises the quality of a typical and highly desirable product of Tibet, musk. In Arabic and Persian as well as Tibetan and Hebrew texts musk is discussed in a variety of genres such as geographical, zoological, religious and medical literature as well as in travellers' and merchants' accounts. These sources reveal an active trade route, which existed between Tibet and the Islamic world from the eighth century onwards. After discussing this set of trade routes, the article focuses on a comparison between the medical uses of musk in Arabic and Tibetan medical sources. The great number of similarities between the uses of musk in these two medical traditions suggests that along with the substance, there were also exchanges of knowledge. Hence we propose that following the model of the 'Silk Roads' and its cultural aspects, similar cultural interactions took place along the 'Musk Routes', which linked Tibet and the Islamic world.

The Silk Roads as a Model for Exploring Eurasian Transmissions of Medical Knowledge:

“…Tibet was an important point on the trade route between India and China, not only for Buddhist missionaries, 45 but also for Arab and Jewish traders. 46 The main attraction of 756 includes a mention of 'sugar from Khotan (li).' 52 The same manuscript also includes a mention of a particular kind of silk, kha che dar, possibly referring to Kashmiri silk, or perhaps Persian brocade, which is to be used in the medical case of having a foreign body stuck in one's throat.…”

Classification as Narrative: A Renewed Perspective on a Longstanding Topic in Ethnobiology

“…Perhaps Linnaeus and Tenzin Phuntsok were influenced by an earlier work or a more general focus on morphology that was somewhat “global” (at least pan-Eurasian) in scope. Work by Katharina Sabernig, Ronit Yoeli-Tlalim, and others have shown the connections between Tibetan and western (Greek and Persian) medicines in the areas of anatomy, use of musk, urine analysis, and the development of some aspects of medical theory, such as the concept of “humors” (Akasoy et al 2016; Garrett 2007; Sabernig 2016; Yoeli-Tlalim 2010, 2012). However, the effects on classification are somewhat more difficult to pin down and need further exploration.…”

Trends in the Use of Perfumes and Incense in the Near East after the Muslim Conquests

“…Musk perfume was mentioned in the pre-Islamic poetry 74 and was even mentioned in the Qur ān (83: 26). 85 The Tibetan kind was considered the best and the sources attributed that to its diet, mainly the nard that grows in its habitat and also due to the fact that the people of Tibet do not add blood or other substances as in the case of the Chinese. 75 It is clear that musk was known in Mesopotamia throughout that period since it is mentioned in the Babylonian Talmud (compiled in Mesopotamia during the fifth century) as a perfume of animal origin.…”

“…a īd, 83 and Turkish lands, 84 through various trading routes. 85 The Tibetan kind was considered the best and the sources attributed that to its diet, mainly the nard that grows in its habitat and also due to the fact that the people of Tibet do not add blood or other substances as in the case of the Chinese. They collected the perfume by trapping the deer in nets instead of hunting it down with arrows.…”