Unearthing history from the depth of the sea is an area not quite in currency in India. In a pioneering effort the Indian Navy and the Archaeological Survey of India organised an international seminar on maritime archaeology in New Delhi to study maritime history through inter-disciplinary approach.

Purely academic in nature, the two-day seminar harped on ancient sea-faring traditions and their influence on activities and development of the region. The theme of the seminar was- "A marine archaeological perspective of the Indian Ocean-A gateway to the continents"

One of the most interesting presentations was that of Prof John Carswell who spoke on the Arab sea-faring traditions. According to him, the discovery of the monsoons and the increase in trade between India and Mediterranean played a major role in the development of maritime activity in the Indian Ocean. The export of Chinese porcelain to the Islamic world opened up another fascinating world of study with India as the pivot as it was between East and West.

Rear Adm KR Menon (Retd) pointed out that interest in history was generally related to the big battles fought on land. In that case, he remarked that the Battle of Plassey or land settlement of Bengal are more familiar than the Battle of Nagapattanam where not a single Indian ship had participated! His presentation brought out the facets of Indian maritime technological skills. One interesting approach in his study was the socio-religious factors that influenced society to be biased against those who took the sea for a calling.

Prof Ranabir Chakravarti studied the period from 400AD to 1300AD, a less explored area in Indian maritime trade. His source were epigraphic materials ranging from Arabian and Persian texts, indigenous literature, Chinese impressions of Indian products and ports and the Jewish business letters of Indian traders or musafiran-ul-Hind of eleventh and twelfth centuries. Trade being the main concern, the study shows that there was little religious animosity between the various merchants. It was also observed that political powers in India, Islamic world, Southeast Asia and in China maintained distinct interests in this trade and encouraged overseas commerce.

Dr Malhao Periera, an ex-captain from the Portuguese Navy with his practical seafaring knowledge showed how the stellar compass was accurately used in navigating both in the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean. His personal interpretation of the stars and compass was interesting too. In another discourse Erich Reith spoke on the traditional boat and ships of India through the ethnographical studies of Admiral Paris (1806-1893) a three-time circumnavigator and ethnographer. Dr RS Bisht, a Director with ASI highlighted the indigenous ship building traditions and maritime skills of the proto-historic period. The British strategic vision of the Indian Ocean from 1857-1947 was one emanating from imperial and commercial interests. Prof Andrew Lambert brought out the technological support to maritime practices in the post-industrial revolution era while Rear Admiral Joseph J Krol from the US Navy presented a comparative study of the Indian and Pacific Oceans in world maritime history. A report on archaeological investigation of the wreck of Princes Royal off Bangaram islands was presented by Cmde AK Patnaik and Mr A Tripathi.

However, the cultural interfaces perhaps remains to be studied through the maritime traditions. Throughout the western coast of India there are strong Islamic influences on architecture as well as culture. But didn’t the sea trade between far-east and China through India have any cultural influence? The entire dark history of trading men as "slaves" from Africa has given birth to folklores and songs that bear testimony to the times. Can we have more lighthouses please?