Brides of the Sea: Trading Cities in the Indian Ocean World, 200BCE to 2000CE

Catalog description

Seaborne trade linked the port cities of the Indian Ocean World and Southeast Asia to each other and the world beginning as early as 200BCE. Our class will examine the rise and fall of Asia and Africa's coastal trading cities; the transcultural character of Indian Ocean trading entrepot; the life of merchants; labor migration; and cultural and religious exchange. Student will explore ancient and modern networks of interconnections through group projects on one or more of the global commodities that animated Asian trade, such as silk, slavery, cinnamon, opium, rubber, prostitution, nutmeg, palm oil, bird's nests, black pepper, etc. 001522