Muslim merchants frequently travelled in the same caravans as those on pilgrimage, stopping for the night at
caravanserais, or
khans, most commonly built on trade routes, and within the main cities. Both provided shelter, food and water for travellers and their animals. Once in a city, the travellers would have found markets (
suqs), selling an impressive range of goods such as silk, perfume, jewellery, gold, spices, glassware, metalwork and ceramic vessels. The
suq in Aleppo, for example, contained a
khan, a
hammam and a
mosque ensuring that all the travellers’ needs were met.