During the Medieval Period, major trading routes developed across Asia, Africa, and Europe, including the Silk Road, maritime routes in the Indian Ocean, and trans-Saharan routes. These trading networks aided the spread of technology, culture, religions, and goods between different regions. Goods like spices, textiles, and porcelain were traded, and ideas such as paper, crops, and religions diffused widely. States and empires in Africa engaged in this trade and were influenced by other civilizations in the Eastern Hemisphere.