Indian ocean

Indian Ocean Trade Timeline

By Claire.shipley
  • 3000 BCE

    Movement Between Towns

    Travelers in small canoes and rafts moved between towns and trading ports along coastlines from Arabia to the Indian subcontinent.
  • Period: 2800 BCE to 1800 BCE

    Trade Between Magan, Meluhha, Dilmun, and Mesopotamia

    Ships from Magan, Meluhha, and the port of Dilmun traded goods such as wood, copper, carnelian, onions, and spices for Mesopotamian goods such as wool, grain, paint, leather, and oil.
  • Period: 2800 BCE to 300

    Ubar Incense Trade

    Ubar thrived as a center of incense transport used for temples, as medicine, and as perfume.
  • 2750 BCE

    Trade of Copper

    Mesopotamia and Iran imported copper from Oman to make tools, weapons, utensils, sculptures, and jewelry.
  • 2300 BCE

    Trade of Timber, Copper, and Diorite

    Magan exported trade goods such as timber, copper, and diorite to Mesopotamia and the Indus Valley.
  • 2000 BCE

    Trade of Grains

    Grains such as millet and sorghum were imported from the East African coast to the Harappan civilization.
  • 1000 BCE

    Decline in Trade

    Long-distance trade from Egypt and Mesopotamia declined.
  • 510 BCE

    Scylax of Caryanda

    Scylax of Caryanda made a voyage to explore the riches of India and to discover the mouth of the Indus River.
  • Period: 400 BCE to 300

    Religious Trade

    Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism were all religions that spread from India to Southeast Asia, brought by merchants rather than missionaries.
  • 70

    Periplus of the Erythraen Sea

    Periplus of the Erythraen Sea wrote a book describing trade routes in the Indian ocean, mentioning trade goods such as copper, wood, pearls, cloth, and gold.
  • 77

    Pliny the Elder

    Pliny the Elder wrote a text explaining trade routes in the Indian Ocean and highly-prized trade items such as frankincense and myrrh.
  • 800

    Mass Popularity

    The Indian Ocean became the most used and successful trade routes the world has ever seen.
  • 1498

    Portuguese "Pass" System

    The Portuguese created a "pass" system that required fees for local traders. While many of the Indians did pay these fees, those in areas under weaker surveillance and policy avoided the fees altogether.