Roman Egypt to peninsular India (patterns of trade)
by Sunil Gupta | 1997 | 132,380 words
This essay examines the early maritime trade between India and the Roman Empire, focusing on archaeological evidence from the 1st century BC to the 3rd century AD. It analyzes artifacts from Mediterranean origin found in peninsular India and Indian Ocean regions, exploring trade routes, commodities, and business practices. It situates Indo-Roman tr...
1(b).6-8. Import of Tableware, Cosmetics, Medicines and Minor Artefacts
[Full title: PART I: Commodities of Trade (B) Commodities from Mediterranean world and Indian Ocean Lands imported into India (7) Cosmetics and Medicines]
6. Fine Tableware See under terra sigillata in Chapter II. Also discussion on Hellenistic RPW in Chapter II. 7. Cosmetics and Medicines A number of mineral based products were imported into India to be used as cosmetics and medicines. Important among these were the realgar and orpiment mentioned as import items in the Periplus (49). Realgar is the red sulphide of arsenic and orpiment the yellow sulphide of arsenic. Both were used as cosmetic pigments and medicine (Schoff 1912/74:191-192, 221). Susruta Samhita, the Indian medical treatise of the early centuries A.D. informs that both realgar and orpiment were used for cleansing and sterilizing wounds (Ray et al. 1993:228, 231). Natyasastra (Chapter 23.69), the Indian treatise on drama, holds the colours yellow and red as basic for facial and body makeup. The pigments from realgar and orpiment must have been used in Early Historic India to produce these colours, 8. Objets d'art and Minor Artefacts II See under Roman Bronzes, Lamps, Cameos, Intaglios and Jewellery in Chapter