Well before modern times, Asian, African, and European peoples were regularly interacting and intermingling with each other. Their encounters rank among the most effective agents of change in all of world history, fostering the spread of technologies, ideas, beliefs, values and religions. This innovative study examines processes of cross-cultural encounter before 1492. It concentrates on several eras, from the age of the ancient silk roads that linked China with the Roman Empire, through the Mongol Empire, up until the early transoceanic ventures of Europeans during the fifteenth century. Taking a global rather than a Eurocentric or some other partial approach, the author examines in contact with each other, and he identifies distinctive patterns of conversion, conflict, and compromise that emerged from cross-cultural encounters. In doing so, he elucidates the larger historical context of encounters between Europeans and other peoples in modern times.
Industry Reviews
"Excellent! Very interesting parallel reading for [an] undergraduate course in medieval history."--Paul R. Waibel, Belhaven College
"An outstanding example of cross-cultural methodology that adds relevance to the usually Eurocentric World History course. Provides a rare glimpse at the ways in which European civilization was enriched by contact with the Middle East, Asia and Africa."--Prof. James A. Brown, Tougaloo College
"[A]n excellent survey of a central subject....It is eminently suitable for...classroom use. My international affairs graduate students, who have only a modest background in history, grasped its messages easily and rated it very highly both for enjoyment and for intellectual provocation. I found it a smooth read, finely proportioned, and a most useful survey of its subject."--J.R. McNeill (Georgetown University) in Journal of World History
"Will be very useful to my teaching of medieval trade and travel, and encounters between East and West."--Olivia Constable, Notre Dame University
"...themes are treated by the author with skill, clarity, and, above all, brevity....Old World Encounters is a good introductory textbook for general courses on world history or Asian history."--The International History Review
"Bentley uses a wide range of sources, but he wears his learning easily, so that even beginning undergraduates can profit from this book."--Teaching History
"Useful to introduce students to cross-cultural contacts."--Lydia M. Garner, Southwest Texas State University
"A marvelous survey of cross-cultural networks in Afro-Eurasia."--Peter Arnade, California State University at San Marcos
"Looks like a wonderful global study of a process fundamental to world history. Will certainly enrich my course significantly."--Stephen Morillo, Wabash College
"Eloquently shows trade and religion as the binding forces among Eurasian civilizations in the pre-1500 era. The book is a fine supplement in our world civilization program."--Steven F. Sage, Middle Tennessee State University
"A first-rate piece of work. Every student of early global history should read this book."--A.J. Andrea, University of Vermont
"An important book, one that few world civilizations teachers should be without, and one to build a course around."--Robert S. Babcock, Hastings College
"[The book] could be used in a great variety of world history courses that are now appearing in American universities....One that I would certainly assign to my students in my World History course."--Philip D. Curtin, Johns Hopkins University
"Very good indeed....Bentley's book brings together lots of materials known only to specialists, and does so in an attractive way....The strength of the work is its devotion to a global approach to understanding cultural interchanges."--Edmund Burke III, University of California, Santa Cruz
"This is an important theme often neglected in survey courses."--William F. Lye, Utah State University
"Eloqently demonstrates the interplay between religion and trade as co-factors in facilitating cultural exchange across Eurasia."--Steven F. Sage, Middle Tennessee State University
"A valuable survey highlighting a key element for introducing students to the interactive nature of world history."--Melvin E. Page, East Tennessee State University
"Bentley's book is a marvelous survey of cross-cultural networks in Afro-Eurasian."--Peter Arnade, CSU San Marcos
"A fascinating book! I am recommending it to our Global History program."--R.D. Ware, University of Massachusetts
"Excellent!! A very interesting approach."--William Robison, Southeastern Louisianna University
"A sound and even exciting addition to the growing literature on the premodern world system. His approach is admirable in its non-Eurocentrism."--American Historical Review
"Comprehensive, informative, current in its scholarship, as well as balanced in its emphases and conclusions....A useful book. A specialist on any given area or topic is bound to come away from it with broadened horizons, and it will serve the general reader well."--Journal of Asian Studies
"A work of synthesis, a well-written text which could be used profitably for an undergraduate course....The Bentley bibliography is an excellent guide to further reading."--Sixteenth Century Journal Review
"A useful book...a specialist in any given area or topic is bound to come away from it with broadened horizons."--The Journal of Asian Studies
"The scholarship supporting this study is impressive; the fourteen-page bibliography contains all of the relevant and recent publications...also very well written and organized. It should be in the library of all scholars interested or involved in teaching or researching world history or global studies."--The Historian
