Marco Polo, Venetian merchant and explorer, 14th century.

Marco Polo, Venetian merchant and explorer, 14th century. Marco Polo (1254-1324) setting out with his uncles from Venice for the Far East. In the foreground are lands they will visit and strange things they will see. The Polos 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. (Photo by Ann Ronan Pictures/Print Collector/Getty Images)