European Exports to the East (Pre-Modern Trade)

In the pre-industrial era (Silk Road, Indian Ocean trade), Europeans exported to Asia:

• Woolen Textiles: Broadcloth, kersey from Flanders, England — suited for cooler Asian highlands.
• Metalwares: Iron/steel weapons, armor, tools, cutlery (Toledo, Solingen, Milan).
• Glassware: Venetian cristallo, mirrors — luxury items.
• Precious Metals: Silver (from Joachimsthal, Potosí via Spain), gold — primary trade currency for Asian goods.
• Coral, Amber, Clocks, Scientific Instruments: Niche luxuries.
• Wine, Olive Oil, Salt Fish: Regional Mediterranean products.

Trade Imbalance

Europe imported spices, silk, cotton, porcelain, tea, lacquerware — high value, low bulk. Silver flowed East; few European goods matched Asian demand. This drove the search for direct sea routes (Da Gama 1498) and later colonial extraction.