Week 2 Timeline

Technology 3

5000 BCE

Ancient fishing boats. Flat bottomed boats, hollowed out of a large tree usually, and can be used with or without a sail. These logs were made of teak or mango wood, which was rot resistant. There are no fishing boats that scientists have found due to their remains perishing.

Network 1

2800 BCE

This city was a major place for trade and societies. This was a popular trade site, as well as being a city mentioned in the Qur'an. The city would trade its rich smelling sap to other regions such as India and East Africa. The city is thought to be destroyed by a large sinkhole, taking anyone and any structure in its path.

Technology 2

1000 BCE

Polaris Star. Navigators would utilize the position of the North Star, or Polaris in order to know what direction they were headed. This star allowed many different civilizations and cultures to cross the Indian Ocean and trade with new worlds.

Place 1

670 BCE

Vyadhapura, Capital of Funan. This was a commonplace for many merchants from China, India, and Western Asia. Mirrors, coins, and wooden scultpures have been unearthed in this old ruin as well. Vyadhapura was a location where traders could wait out monsoons, trade, or find provisions.

Network 3

650 BCE

Phoenicians, lived off the coast of southern Syria and Lebanon. One highly prized trade piece that these people had was their reddish-purple cloth. They also were highly skilled in making glass products, and traded mostly honey, wine, olives, metals and wheat. The Phoenicians had very advanced ships for long trips to make their trading possible. They also created one of the first alphabets, which was then passed down to the Greeks.

Technology 1

500 BCE

Camel saddle, developed in Northern Arabia between 500-1000 BCE. This saddle was composed of a frame made of two pieces of wood or rope on each side of the camels hump. Two, "V-shaped" pieces of wood usually extended to the camels ribs, allowing the camel to carry bigger, more heavier loads.

Goods 2

500 BCE

Mangrove wood, was in high demand from places in deserts like the Persian Gulf. East Africa also produced rhino horn, ivory, and shells from turtles.

Goods 3

440 BCE

Cinnamon, the one spice no one knows where it originates! Botanists and geologists alike cannot agree where this spice originated. What is known is that cinnamon was ran through Southeast Asia and East Afria.

Person 2

326 BCE

Nearchus, Captain of Alexander The Great's navy. He was the commander of Alexander's navy, his journey started in the Indus river, and concluded around the Tigris River. He faced many hardships while on his voyage. Strong winds forcing their boats in the wrong direction, hunger and thirst ravaged his entire fleet. Once he met Alexander again at Susa, he was greeted with a large celebration, and granted a golden crown for his work.

Scripture

302 BCE

Indika, written by Greek historian Megasthenes. This writing touches on the social structure, history, and geography of India while under the Mauryan Empire. The author pictured India as a fertile land, plenty of fruits to harvest, rivers and animals. Also noted in the writing, are creatures like Enotokoitas, depicted as men with ears so big that they can wrap around their entire head. This writing set how Europeans viewed India for centuries.

Place 2

275 BCE

Berenike, this port city located in Egypt was a major site for international trade. This port housed elephants from Sudan and Africa, along with other goods such as beads, wood, and pottery.

Person 3

271 BCE

Ashoka, Mauryan emperor, spread Buddhism throughout his region. He had Buddhist teachings carved in caves, rocks, and tall stone pillars. Some are still around today. Most of Ashoka's work was spreading religion as a import and export. This pushed for interactions between other cultures and contributed to establishing trade connections.

Geography 2

150 BCE

Andaman Islands, a formation of underwater islands with tiny landforms above sea-level. Coconuts and rice can be found on some of these islands. These islands were inhabited by Indochinese immigrants and possibly people from the prehistoric era.

Person 1

106 BCE

Zhang Qian, an early traveler of the Silk Road, fought against many opponents during his travels, one being the Huns. Qian made several pacts with other tribes, but this ended up being his downfall. He was captured several times, but finally reached the Yuezhi. It was in Yuezhi that Qian was introduced to Greek and Indian cultures. He brought chinese culture and technology to the lands he visited. He was one of the main travelers of the Silk Road.

Goods 1

100 BCE

Silk, first developed in China, this was one of the many goods that traveled along the "Silk Road". Silk was traded, but also was used as a form of money. Many kings, rulers, and emperors wanted luxury goods such as silk.

Scripture

77 BCE

Natural History, written by Pliny the Elder. This writing is evidence of trade between the Roman Empire and the Arabian Peninsula. This writing is one of the most detailed writings from this time, and was a major guide for historians until the Middle Ages.

Place 3

30 BCE

Palmyra, or present-day Syria. Many international merchants influenced this region with their dress and culture. This place connected not only the Silk Road, but also Incense Road, which transported goods across India and the Far East.

Geography 1

15 BCE

Muziris, a famous trading market for the Romans and Southern India. Many Roman ceramics were found in the ruined city, Indian coins, and old tall jugs that carried oils and wine were also found.

Geography 3

4 BCE

Isthmus of Kra, a narrow strip of land connecting the Malay Peninsula to Asia. Traders and merchants from India used the strait as a passageway. This was a safe way to travel compared to other paths.

Network 2

3 BCE

Sri Lanka, one major stopping points for traders and merchants. This island off the coast of India helped with the spread of Buddhism. From this small island, there have been findings of Roman coins, as well as tales from Greek geographer Strabo telling of exports of ivory and cinnamon.