Which of the following statements with regard to the famous 'silk routes' are correct? 1. Silk routes refer to East-bound European silk cargoes along these routes. 2. There were several silk routes, over land and by sea, joining together vast regions of Asia with Europe and northern Africa. 3. They are known to have existed since before the Christian Era and thrived almost till the fifteenth century. 4. Besides silk, Chinese pottery, textiles and spices from India and South-east Asia travelled the same route. Select the answer using the code given below: