Indian Ocean Trade

Height 800 – 1400 C.E.

KEY VOCABULARY: Zanj Arab name for the people of East Africa Monsoons the seasonal wind of the Indian Ocean

and southern Asia, blowing from the southwest in summer and from the northeast in winter

Entrepots cosmopolitan cities (often ports) Trade diasporas (see definition later) Geniza – Hebrew for depository of old papers. Jewish

law requires that religious papers not be destroyed- secular and sacred manuscripts- gold mine for historians.

Ibn Battuta Muslim explorer Zheng He Chinese explorer

KEY VOCABULARY (cont’d): Cowry shells (cowries) used as money along trade

routes Astrolabe an astronomical instrument for taking the

altitude of the sun or stars and for the solution of other problems in astronomy and navigation, helps calculate latitude

Dhows sailing vessels used by Arabs on the east African, Arabian, and Indian coasts, generally lateen-rigged on two or three masts

Junks a seagoing ship with a traditional Chinese design and used primarily in Chinese waters, having square sails spread by battens, a high stern, and usually a flat bottom

Emporia/Emporium a place, town, or city of important commerce, esp. a principal center of trade

The General Idea: Importance of Asia and Africa in the

world economic system Usually trade between outer ends was

handled by Arab intermediaries but occasionally people traveled the distance

Zheng He and Ibn Battuta

Examples of the Impact Indian Ocean Trade Had on the World:

India becomes emporium – Indian ports very cosmopolitan Siraf also becomes an emporium (located in the Persian Gulf) Trade increased with establishment of Umayyad and Abassid

dynasties in west and Tang and Song in the east- prosperity increased trade

Swahili city states culture that merged Arab and East African peoples Arabic world sahil means coast…coastal trade culture with strong

Bantu base Kilwa (Swahili coast’s main emporium) Chinese role- naval expeditions 1405- 1433 Europeans arrive in Indian Ocean in 1497 and while

Portuguese dominated access to Europe for Asia they did NOT wrest control from the Arabs for control of Indian Ocean trade.

Items Traded mostly luxury goods for elites- similar to trade

on Silk Routes Ivory –better quality in Africa easier to carve Slaves- Islamic law prohibits enslaving fellow

Muslims but they did capture and enslave non-Muslims and trade them to India, China, Persian Gulf (small trade compared to ivory and gold)

Challenges Distances of voyages Dhows and other technologies (expensive

and difficult to develop) Pirates Monsoons Being away from family

Technology As a Result of Indian Ocean Trade:

lateen (triangular sails) compass astrolabe dhows junks

Results CULTURAL DIFFUSION!!!!!!

Exchange of ideas including religion, people, goods, agricultural crops, currency including cowries and gemstones

Specialized goods in certain places; cotton textiles in India as well as carpet weaving, stone carving, leather tanning, steel for knives and swords, and sugar refining.

silk, porcelain and laquerware in China SE Asia- spices SW Asia horses, incense and dates east Africa slaves, ivory and gold Trade diasporas - trade communities of merchants… cross

cultural brokers- helping and encouraging trade between host society and people of their own origin who moved along trade routes (since 3500 BCE) ex. of Zanzibar today

Trade Diaspora – Definition

an interrelated net of commercial communities forming a trade network

Advantages of trade diasporas helped to deal with “familiar” people who

knew local laws, people, officials, bribes… others who could carry home news, letters,

gifts for family increased honest dealings –social prestige at

home local rulers saw advantage of foreigners

having wealth instead of local elites

Examples of Trade Diasporas (Islam) rise of Islam – Muslims, Arabs and Persians began to

dominate this network 750 – 1500…cultural change via traders not conquerors. Muslim trading diasporas throughout Indian Ocean world- trade, travel and communication encouraged within Islam, prosperity from commerce

success of Muslim merchants along Indian coasts encouraged converts

expansion into SE Asia with decline of Mongols (increased instability on land routes)

Chinese Ming rulers had “anti-barbarian sentiments” so restricted their trade mostly to SE Asia where Muslim traders picked goods up and took them west

Case Studies: Kilwa (Other city states also on east Africa coast- Mombassa, Sofala, Malindi)

initially fishing village with limited trade 800 –1000 imported pottery from within Africa- increased agriculture

due to increased population trade brought wealth location is everything—Kilwa was the most southerly point

where ships could land and still return the same season taking the reverse monsoon—further south to Sofala meant waiting an extra year! So… gold from Zimbabwe sent to Sofala was taken north to Kilwa which became the main trading port

powerful city state ruled by king who supervised trade and public life in region

by 12th c. coral building construction

Case Studies: Kilwa (Other city states also on east Africa coast- Mombassa, Sofala, Malindi) Cont’d

ruling elites dressed in Chinese silk and ate off porcelain

mosques by 13th c. multi-story buildings with sewage/

toilets 1300 –1505 height-- 12,000 pop. trade with India, China, SE Asia Decline in 14th century due to Black Death sacked by de Gama

Case Study: Great Zimbabwe (interior kingdom- traded with Sofala which then interacted with Indian Ocean system)

Zimbabwe means dwelling of the chief stone complexes 13th c. height 18,000 people – cattle was main symbol of

wealth but gold, ivory, slaves were traded to the ports and porcelain, Indonesian beads etc. has been found at the site.

controversy over its discovery

Case Study: Java 11th – 15th c. international spice market-

monopoly of fine spices (cloves, nutmeg, and mace)

Malay sailors brought goods to harbors of east Java

geographic advantage. Winds usually ensured that traders didn’t meet

suppliers myth arose that spices were locally grown