ICOMOS thematic study and the Eastern Silk Roads

This paper is in four parts. The first introduces the ICOMOS Thematic Study of the Silk Roads (Williams, 2014) and explains the background, scope and approach to the study, and the resultant UNESCO Silk Roads serial and transnational World Heritage nomination strategy. The second part explores issues with the dissemination of data from the thematic study and other research projects, and the problems relating to developing an international trans-boundary research community. The third part briefly explores the nature of the Silk Routesin East Asia and raises some issues regarding the relationship between the land and maritime routes. The final part explores the implications for extending the Silk Roads nomination strategy into Eastern Asia, raises some heritage management issues and considers the question of whether to extend the thematic study