Book of the Month

Between the Bay of Bengal and the Java Sea

This revelatory new book traces the diffusion of cultures between the Bay of Bengal and the Java Sea, beginning from the last few centuries BCE, by looking at trade goods such as Indian textiles, Vietnamese Dong Son drums, Chinese ceramics, and spices from the Indonesian archipelago. The authors take us through a host of ancient port-cities and kingdoms, such as Srivijaya, whose fortunes were intimately tied to these trade routes, pointing out striking similarities in architecture, writing systems and everyday customs.