Indian trade and colonies

[Jens Nordlunde]

Already from before the 2nd century BC ships from India and the Far East were known to have been trading on the African Read Sea cost and in Arabia. The trade must have been big, be course not only have Indian DNA been found in the Ethiopian population, but DNA from their cattle have been found in the Zebus in Ethiopia. This could perhaps indicate an Indian colony.

It is known that the Indians imported many horses from Arabia, many of them by sea, and it is also known that the Indians exported a great number of ingots, but what, maybe, is less known is, that they also exported a great number of the very famous Indian blades to Persia, Syria and most likely also to the African east coast.

In order to be able to sell the blades, they had to be made to the taste in the different countries – blades as well as decorations, unless the decorations were made later, in the land where the blades were sold. This means that old blades, which are supposed to have been made in Persia, Syria or in another country, could have been made in India, in the style of the market it was meant for.

When it comes to the east, the Hindu’s had, from the 8th century on established colonies in Malaya, Java, Sumatra, Borneo and probably a few other places, which could indicate, that not only ingots, but also blades were traded to these places for spices, silk and other goods which was brought to India, and part of it to the Red Sea area for further trade.