Encounters: The Indian Ocean in 50 Objects - Himanshu Prabha Ray

Encounters: The Indian Ocean in 50 Objects offers a pioneering study of the Indian Ocean’s history through fifty carefully selected objects, spanning cultures from the Red Sea to Vietnam and covering a period from the fifth century BCE to the sixteenth century CE. This book highlights the dynamic and interconnected nature of the Indian Ocean, transcending national histories and political boundaries. It introduces a unique methodology, using artifacts as bridges to uncover the vibrant cultural exchanges, religious practices, and economic networks that shaped this vast maritime region.

Divided into five thematic chapters, the book delves into the treasures of the ocean, the mobility and communication across its waters, the script cultures of graffiti and inscriptions, the entangled histories of coins and seals, and the spread of religious ideas across islands and shared coastal spaces. Readers will gain insights into the complex themes related to the expression of cultural identity through writing; the spread of religious practices, images, and coastal shrines; the connected histories of money; and the continued use of the dhow vignette on banknotes in the post-colonial period.

This textbook is an essential resource for undergraduate courses on the early history of the Indian Ocean and South Asian material culture. It is designed for students, researchers, and informed readers curious about the material culture that connected distant coasts and communities across the ocean. The book’s interdisciplinary approach makes it a valuable tool for understanding the complexities of maritime networks and their enduring legacies.