Scene from Marco Polo's Book of Marvels..., early 15th century. Artist: Master of Boucicaut

Scene from Marco Polo's Book of Marvels..., early 15th century, showing merchants entering a walled town, mason and carpenter at work, a shopkeeper serving a customer, and men driving swine. Together with his father and uncle, Venetian traveller and merchant Marco Polo (1254-1324) set off from Venice for Asia in 1271, travelling the Silk Road and arriving at the court of Kublai Khan some three years later. They spent 17 years in China before returning home, arriving back in Italy in 1295. Marco Polo was imprisoned by the Genoese, writing an account of his travels, Il Milione whilst in captivity. Early 15th century manuscript from the Bibliotheque Nationale, Paris. (Photo by Oxford Science Archive/Print Collector/Getty Images)