A caravan (from ) is a group of people traveling together. Often they are on a trade expedition. Caravans were used mainly in desert areas and throughout the Silk Road. Traveling in groups aided in defense against bandits, in the same way that convoys at sea helped protect against piracy. It also helped improve economies of scale in trade. In the 14th century there were reports of caravans of up to 12,000 camels.