Sea of Treasures

A Cultural History of Ancient Indian Ocean Trade

How goods and people in motion across the ancient world were entangled through consumption

The ancient world was a far more interconnected place than is often assumed. Maritime routes across the Indian Ocean, by no means peripheral, made these connections possible. In Sea of Treasures, Jeremy Simmons puts forth an entirely new perspective on Indian Ocean commerce, starting with commodities of trade and the patterns of consumption that resulted from their importation. Looking beyond the mechanics of long-distance travel or the economics of “Indo-Roman” exchange, Simmons considers the consequences of objects in motion: how Indian Ocean imports shaped the lives of humans throughout the wider ancient world. In his exploration of textual and archaeological sources from both the Mediterranean basin and the Indian subcontinent, he traces a series of sensuous and intellectual engagements that entangled people and things both tangible and intangible, from spices, coins, and gemstones to information and artistic style.

Each chapter addresses a different encounter and its experiential effects, including Roman outrage at Indian Ocean products; ingestion of consumables such as spices and alcohol; adornment and its sociocultural value; indirect exposure to luxury goods and the proliferation of imitations; and elite access to knowledge about treasured commodities. Drawing on theoretical discussions relating to objects, their material composition, and their roles in human activity, Simmons offers a cultural history of Indian Ocean trade through a holistic understanding of consumption. By interrogating long-held assumptions about Mediterranean dominance in Indian Ocean trade, Simmons expands our understanding of a global Afro-Eurasian world—one that afforded relationships with an ever-widening array of things.

UK Delivery:

• Free delivery on all orders of £10 or more.
• £1.49 delivery fee on orders below £10.
• UK orders are shipped via Royal Mail 2nd Class.

International Delivery:

• Flat rate delivery charges vary by country.

Dispatch and Delivery Times:

• All orders are shipped from our warehouse in Northampton, UK as soon as stock is available.
• UK mainland orders typically arrive within 3-7 working days via Royal Mail 2nd Class.
• International estimated delivery times:
• Europe & Channel Islands: 7 to 10 working days
• USA: 7 to 15 working days
• Rest of the World: 9 to 30 working days

View our full delivery infomation here.