Indian Ocean Trade Research Paper

The Indian Ocean is one of the oldest trade routes between Africa and Asia. During the early days of Indian Ocean trade, the buying and selling of goods took place only between the Swahili people living in East Africa and Arabs from Asia. Indian Ocean trade was made easy by the monsoon winds that circulated between Asia and the Eastern coast. These winds blew north to the south and from the south back to the north in a circular fashion. These winds change direction with the change of seasons. In the ninth century an astrolabe was introduced to the Islam world by the Greeks. An astrolabe was helpful to the Arabs because it helped them find direction to the east coast and the most suitable time for making the return trip to Asia.

The Chinese also traded with the Swahili people. The Arabs did not like this because they wanted to control this trade. The Chinese mainland was too far and it took too long for Chinese ships to reach the eastern
It was because of these trade dealings and intermarriages that an Arab influence including Islam came to be introduced in the area. This trade route was helpful in the creation of the Swahili language and culture that involved much blending between the local and Arab ways of life. This trade network expanded beyond the east coast into the kingdoms in the interior. Kingdoms like Zimbabwe and Mapunbugwe grew rich and powerful because of this trade route. In Mapungubwe carvings made from ivory were discovered. These ivory carvings were made for the eastern coast. These ivory carvings included things like ivory bracelets used by Indian women in marriages and burials. Ivory was also important in China. It was used to make ceremonial chairs for the nobility. African ivory was good because it was soft and easy to carve into many different shapes. A small number of slaves were also exported to work in the salt mines of Basra, in modern day