Throughout the study, the excavation analysis has been supplemented with presentations and trips to the Metropolitan Museum led by our resident art historian and museum liaison Dr. Michelle Marcus and to the American Museum of Natural History led by resident anthropologist and AMNH liaison Stephanie Fins, as well as with lessons on music and manuscript illumination led by guest artists sponsored by the Museum program.

Thanks to the guidance of Stephanie Fins, the students tasted sweet delicacies representing just a few of the countries along the 4000-mile route. Foods included dried mulberries, pistachios, dates and Persian dried figs, rose petal and quince jam from central Asia; pistachio baklava, rose flavored lukum and Turkish delight candy from Turkey and dried persimmons, peaches and crystallized ginger from China. Judging by the students' mixed expressions, some of the more exotic sweets proved challenging to a few of the 3rd graders palates, such as the lingering heat of candied ginger and the unusual floral flavor of rose petals, but the adventurous explorers willingly tasted at least mouse bites of each of the samples and many were pleasantly surprised by these new (to them) but ancient sweet flavors of the Silk Road.

Story submitted by Ms. Stephanie Fins, Anthropology, Museum Programs