This book introduces the maritime activities of India, which date back to the Harappan period, highlighting that India is one of the world's oldest seafaring nations. It summarises archaeological findings, inscriptions, epigraphy, and various written sources that have significantly contributed to reconstructing the sea-oriented history of the Indian subcontinent. This history includes understanding contacts with the Persian Gulf, the Red Sea coast, and Southeast Asian countries from the early historical period onward. Geographers and travellers, including the anonymous author of the ‘Periplus of the Erythraean Sea,’ Ptolemy, Megasthenes, Hiuen Tsang, Al-Masudi, Marco Polo, and many others, have documented India’s maritime connections with overseas countries across the centuries. In the last three decades, scholars from various universities and research organisations have conducted extensive exploration and excavations along India's west and east coasts, uncovering several ports and trade centres. Some of these can be matched with sites mentioned by ancient geographers and travellers, while others have been newly discovered through archaeological research.Along with the second volume, this book presents the most recent research findings from over fifty experts in the maritime archaeology of India. It serves as a valuable reference for scholars studying the Indian Ocean trade and South Asia from a long-term perspective.
