Indian Ocean Maritime System

1. Indian Ocean Maritime System How important was it really?

2. Origins of Contact and Trade • Records from 2,000 BCE • Regular trade between Mesopotamia, islands of Persian Gulf, Oman and Indus River • Used familiar routes for several 100 years • Established by a multilingual, multiethnic society of seafarers

3. Where did trade take place? • Three distinct locations • Southern China Sea • Eastern coast of India to the islands of Southeast Asia • Western coast of India to the Persian Gulf and the eastern coast of Africa

4. Key Points • No visible role in the rise and fall of kingdoms/ empires • Created increasingly strong economic and social ties • Regular, seasonal winds didn’t remain unnoticed

5. Indian Ocean Triangular sails Without oars (used the wind) Planks pierced, tied together B/c of monsoons, long time at sea Little contact with homeland Mediterranean Square Sails Long banks of oars (get around islands and small harbors) Nailed vessels together Rarely left sight of land Maintained contact with their home cities Key Points Cont’d World around Indian Ocean developed differently from the world of the Mediterranean

6. Impact of Indian Ocean Trade • Demand continued trade • Many ports • In Southern India and Arabian peninsula- isolated • In Eastern India densely populated • At times social impact despite their usual lack of political power

7. Impact Cont’d • Women • Seldom accompanied men on travels • Men married local women in port cities • Families thus established bilingual and bicultural • Crucial role as mediators between cultures • Introduced men to different cultures, which they took to other areas on their travels