Whose desert did the ancient trade routes of the Silk Road cross around the Taklamakan?

The Taklamakan Desert in western China was avoided by caravans whenever possible, so the Silk Road ran along its northern and southern edges through oasis towns. The desert lies in the Tarim Basin and is one of the world’s largest sandy deserts. Its name is often translated as “you can go in, but you can’t come out,” reflecting its harsh conditions. The oasis network around it was essential to transcontinental trade between China, Central Asia and the Mediterranean world.