PROMINENT ANCIENT PORTS OF INDIA:
The naval trade with various countries during the ancient & medieval times played a great role in the spread of Indian culture abroad. The detailed account of the ports in ancient India can be found from the books "Periplus of the Erythraean Sea & Geographia". During Mauryan rule, the Navadhyaksha, i.e., Superitendent of Shipping used to look after the shipping administration. The coins of the last Satavahana King Yajna Sri Satakarni contained the figure of ships, probably indicating the naval strength of the dynasty. Let us look at an illustrative list of prominent port in ancient times.
Name of the Port |
Region |
Associated Dynasty & the Time
Period |
Brief Details |
Gujarat (near present Ahmedabad) |
Indus Valley; 2400 BC |
Export of copper, hardwoods, ivory,
pearls, carnelian & gold to Mesopotamia and timber wood & Lais Lazuli
to Sumeria |
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Present Bharuch in Gujarat |
3rd Century BC onwards; Major
trade center of Roman trade under Western Satraps |
1. Spice & silk trade with Arabs. 2. Import of wheat, rice, sesame oil, cotton & cloth. |
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Malabar Coast, Kerala (near present-day
Kochi) |
1st century BC onwards; Chera
Kingdom |
1. Mentioned in Sangam literature. 2. Export
of spices, semi-precious stones like beryl, pearls, diamonds, sapphires,
ivory, Chinese silk, Gangetic spikenard & tortoise shells to Persi, Rome,
Greece & Egypt. |
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2. Mentioned in "Silappadikaram". |
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2. Items of export included gems, pearls, spices & silk. Import of wine was prevalent. |
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2. Export included turqoise, lapis lazuli, seric skins, cotton cloth, silk yarn & indigo. |
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2. Principal sea port of the Golkonda kingdom from 15th to 17th centuries |
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2. Dudhpani rock inscription of Udayman of 8th century AD contains the last record of Tamralipti as a port of ancient South Asia. 3. Chinese pilgrim Hieun-Tsang call the town Tan-mo-lih-ti, who visited in 639 AD. 4. Fa-hian stayed here for 2 years. |
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Odisha | 2nd century AD; Kalinga dynsaty | 1. Place of voyage to South-East Asia & China and trade of pottery. 2. Mentioned by Ptolemy & Hiuen Tsang in the 2nd & 7th century AD. |
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