The route takes the visitor through the spread of Islam from Arab Lands and Iran under the Umayyads and Abbasids (seventh to 13th centuries) all the way to Later South Asia (16th to 20th centuries).

ECONOMIST: Islamic galleries at the Met

They bear witness to the many peoples who have mixed across these lands through the centuries Babylonians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Umayyads and Ottomans, among others each contributing to the ethnic, religious and linguistic tableau that is modern Syria.

WSJ: Saving Syria | by Christian C. Sahner

Strategically positioned on historic trade routes linking East and West, this ancient city has conserved an astounding monumental heritage reflecting the diverse cultures of the peoples that have settled here over millennia including the Hittites, Assyrians, Greeks, Romans, Umayyads, Ayyubids, Mongols, Mamelukes and Ottomans.

UNESCO: The Director-General of UNESCO appeals for the Protection of the World Heritage City of Aleppo | United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization