Indian Ocean trade: a reassessment of the pottery finds from a multidisciplinary point of view (3rd century BC-5th century AD)

Abstract

Pottery is a key material of the ancient Indian Ocean trade network and its study provides an
understanding of transcultural interactions. This study demonstrates that a reassessment from a
multidisciplinary point of view offers new and original interpretations of known existing material.
Even though we undeniably have a better comprehension of the Western material due to more
advanced studies, these research results prove that it is necessary to dismiss the established Romecentric perspective. In particular, a re-evaluation of the pottery finds in Western Indian Ocean
countries strongly supports the idea that South Arabia and India played a primary role in
international exchanges between the 3rd century BC and the 5th century AD.