changes that occurred between the sixteenth and eighteenth centuries. Since
this book concerns the development of the premodern system of long-distance
trade, which was largely in place by the early centuries of thefirst millen-
niumCE, only a brief synopsis is provided on thefinal millennium or so
before the onset of the modern period.
Finally, at the conclusion of each of thefirstfive chapters, I have added a
section entitled“A closer look.”This was inspired by the use of sidebars in
textbooks and includes in-depth examinations of related material best high-
lighted by being set aside.
x Preface