Maritime Archaeology And Ancient Trade

4.1.I How did the global trade network after 1500 CE affect the pre-existing regional trade

The Mediterranean served as a basin for the early civilizations. The rich history of the

Changes and continuities in commerce in the Indian ocean region from 650 to 1750 C.E.

According to Table 1.1, water vessel type W1 popularity increased over time, while water vessel type W2 decreased (refer to Chart #1). With this information, we may include the remaining archaeological data of water vessels in sites “D” and “GM” into the table with correct chronological order that pre-dates 2200 B.C. In essence, we now know the chronological flow of the sites from recent to oldest, which are “PGU”, “B”, “PGL”, “D” and “GM” respectively.

If there was ever an important period historians, and people could put a finger on, this would be it. This is the important period where the world’s countries, kingdoms, and dynasties established trade routes. This is the period where countries were made and countries were destroyed because of the importance of trade and the importance of building a fundamental, religious, and economical way of life. This paper will discuss the goals and functions of trades, and traders, and a historical analysis of world trade. This paper will also get into world trade patterns, of The Americas, Sub-Saharan Africa, The Indian Ocean, The Silk routes, China and The South China Sea, Europe and The Mediterranean, and The Atlantic Exploration.

At the start of this period in 300 C.E, Afro-Eurasian trade was not very sophisticated. There was some collaboration with cultures in the Mediterranean. European goods were brought to

The innovation of maritime technology has revolutionized travel throughout history. Prior to ships and sea travel, humans were separated by vast oceans and confined to their homeland for life. Because of these large boundaries, discoveries and inventions were only shared within land masses and trade as a whole was very limited. This uncharted, inaccessible territory caused a major separation of mankind. However, these oceans sparked curiosity and desire for explorers to venture beyond their native land. This curiosity was the driving force to the invention of naval travel, a highly important and massive step for all growing communities during the Age of Exploration. Maritime technology’s advancements through history greatly aided in the Age of Exploration, allowing provinces to break their land boundaries and make monumental steps towards the advanced world humans populate today.

After these events the Carthaginian Empire decided to use their Navy as one of the strategies to win the war. What they didn’t know is that the Romans had built many ships and armed them with a

1. Long-distance commerce acted as a motor of change in pre-modern world history by altering consumption and daily life. Essential food and useful tools such as salt were traded from the Sahara desert all the way to West Africa and salt was used as a food preserver. Some incenses essential to religious ceremonies were traded across the world because there was a huge demand for them. Trade diminished economic self-sufficiency by creating a reliance on traded goods and encouraged people to specialize and trade a particular skill. Trade motivated the creation of a state due to the wealth accumulated from controlling and taxing trade. Trade posed the problem of if the government or private

There were good things about being a seafaring civilization. As the Ancient Greeks migrated to the coast of the Mediterranean, and Black Seas, they were able to put all of their energy into maritime trade, eventually making them dominant of the busiest waterway in the ancient world. (Acrobatic, 2014)

The Romans used commerce to consolidate the provinces and territories of their vast empire. Being a part of the Empire was of great economic benefit to almost all of the members; insomuch as the Romans built roads and protected sea routes, and inasmuch as the Roman Empire was so large, the Roman Empire’s subjects benefited from what amounted to a massive free trade zone. Roman commerce was a major factor in preserving the Empire for so long.

Archaeologists noticed that these items did not come from a central location, but came from several specific locations. By analyzing the artifacts, archaeologists are able to determine which cultures came into contact and traded with each other. Through isotope analysis, it was determined that the copper ingots were from the island of Cyprus. The pottery was similar to those found throughout Canaan. Also in the wreck, there were logs of blackwood which grew in primarily Africa. There were also glass ingots that were the same as glass found in Egypt and Mycenaean Greece. In addition, there was ivory from elephants and hippopotamus primarily from Syria. Since all of these items were on one trading vessel, archaeologists were able to determine that there was “a vast trade network was well established among various racial and linguistic groups centered on the Mediterranean, from subtropical Africa and the Near East to northern Europe” (Bass 699). Therefore, underwater archaeology shows that there was multicultural trade during the Late Bronze Age. The various civilizations along the Mediterranean coast worked together in a cooperative fashion and relied on each other in order to thrive during the Late Bronze Age. In addition, trade was not localized but widespread throughout the Mediterranean.

During the post-classical era, larger ships and improved commercial organization supported a dramatic sure in the volume and value of trade in the indian ocean basin

The Mediterranean Sea is home to many great civilizations in our early history. The Ancient Greeks and Romans established their empires in this region and their cultural contributions have greatly influenced the development of modern Western culture. Unlike the Ancient Greek and Roman civilizations, there is one Mediterranean civilization that did not have a land centric empire. The Phoenicians are the first civilization to create a long distance sea trading network in the ancient Mediterranean world. This trading network is significant in ancient Mediterranean history because archaeological remains discovered in different areas of the Mediterranean. These archeological remains

Once upon a time a group of wise, sober, and honest traders lived in Syria. They exported spices, gold, satins, etc far and wide. It so happened that the leading traders of this prosperous group made up their minds to go to Rome for business purposes. (141)