Prehistory Indian maritime history

the region around indus river began show visible increase in both length , frequency of maritime voyages 3000 bce. optimum conditions viable long-distance voyages existed in region 2900 bce. mesopotamian inscriptions indicate indian traders indus valley—carrying copper, hardwoods, ivory, pearls, carnelian, , gold—were active in mesopotamia during reign of sargon of akkad (c. 2300 bce). gosch & stearns write on indus valley s pre-modern maritime travel: evidence exists harrappans bulk-shipping timber , special woods sumeria on ships , luxury items such lapis lazuli. trade in lapis lazuli carried out northern afghanistan on eastern iran sumeria during mature harrappan period indus colony established @ shortugai in central asia near badakshan mines , lapis stones brought overland lothal in gujarat , shipped oman, bahrain , mesopotamia.

archaeological research @ sites in mesopotamia, bahrain, , oman has led recovery of artefacts traceable indus valley civilisation, confirming information on inscriptions. among important of these objects stamp seals carved in soapstone, stone weights, , colourful carnelian beads....most of trade between mesopotamia , indus valley indirect. shippers both regions converged in persian gulf ports, on island of bahrain (known dilmun sumerians). numerous small indus-style artefacts have been recovered @ locations on bahrain , further down coast of arabian peninsula in oman. stamp seals produced in bahrain have been found @ sites in mesopotamia , indus valley, strengthening likelihood island may have acted redistribution point goods coming mesopotamia , indus area....there hints digs @ ur, major sumerian city-state on euphrates, indus valley merchants , artisans (bead makers) may have established communities in mesopotamia.

the world s first dock @ lothal (2400 bce) located away main current avoid deposition of silt. modern oceanographers have observed harappans must have possessed great knowledge relating tides in order build such dock on ever-shifting course of sabarmati, exemplary hydrography , maritime engineering. earliest known dock found in world, equipped berth , service ships. speculated lothal engineers studied tidal movements, , effects on brick-built structures, since walls of kiln-burnt bricks. knowledge enabled them select lothal s location in first place, gulf of khambhat has highest tidal amplitude , ships can sluiced through flow tides in river estuary. engineers built trapezoidal structure, north-south arms of average 21.8 metres (71.5 ft), , east-west arms of 37 metres (121 ft).