Ref ID:	34034
Ref Type:	Journal Article
Authors:	Saitowitz, Sharma J. Reid, David L.
Title:	Early Indian Ocean glass bead trade between Egypt and Malaysia: a pilot study
Date:	2001
Source:	Bulletin of the Indo-Pacific Prehistory Association
Notes:	Indo-Pacific prehistory: the Melaka papers, Vol. 5
Abstract:	Glass beads were an important component of luxury goods used for centuries within the Indian ocean trading system. Many varieties or bead "types" have been found at archaeological sites over wide geographical areas including Africa, India, Mainland and Island Southeast Asia. In this paper, plasma mass spectrometry was used to determine the rare Earth Trace Element (REE) content of unique glass beads from Egypt and Peninsular Malaysia. "Factory" standard "Fustat Beads" made at al-Fustat (now old Cairo) between AD 800 - 900 were compared with "composite eye" beads found at the coeval Malaysian site of Kampung Sungai Mas. Elemental chemical profiles show that the glass used to manufacture the Egyptian material is almost identical to that of the beads found in Malaysia. This period coincided with the dramatic rise of dar al Islam in Egypt and the spread of Islamic influence across the Indian Ocean. This information casts a new light on contact and trade between Africa and Malaysia more than a thousand years ago.
Date Created:	1/9/2002
Volume:	21
Page Start:	119
Page End:	123