Commerce and Cultural Mobility in the Bay of Bengal: Historical Interactions and Exchanges

This study examines the historical and cultural interactions between India and the Pacific world, highlighting the profound influence of Indian art, archaeology, and cultural practices across East and Southeast Asia. By correlating monumental and artistic materials with anthropological and prehistoric contexts, the research traces the evolution of East Asian civilizations from early hominins such as Java man to the periods of modern antiquarian inquiry. The cultural survey of the Indian and Pacific Ocean basins underscores India’s role as a cultural ambassador, with its art and traditions shaping the societies of Oceania, including Māori culture, the Polynesian world, and the peoples of Thailand, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia. Significant archaeological and philological evidence, documented by Dutch and French scholars, demonstrates the transmission of Indian cultural elements during pre-Islamic and early Islamic periods, particularly in Java and Sumatra. This expansion of Indian influence into East Asia represents a critical chapter in the shared history of human civilization, reflecting both the depth and longevity of cultural exchange in the region.