Iran and Afghanistan have a certain iconic status as largely inhospitable areas, rich in raw materials. But where does this remarkable geology come from? Researchers from the University of Central Asia and Utrecht University have now reconstructed the history of this 'geological Silk Road' in detail. "Culturally, the region lies at the crossroads of European, Central Asian, East Asian, Indian and Arab influences. Our reconstruction shows that the same is true geologically." Their results are published in the journal Gondwana Research.