Complex sentence: ' Its Armenian population specialized in the production of handicraft and sericulture and in the sixteenth century, numerous sources spoke of it as a thriving town that maintained strong commercial links with India, Russia, Safavid Persia and Western Europe.
Split into simpler sentences: ' Its Armenian population specialized in the production of handicraft and sericulture. Numerous sixteenth century-era sources spoke of it as a thriving town that maintained strong commercial links with India, Russia, Safavid Persia and Western Europe.