S52-3

Suvarṇabhūmi and Early Roman Glass in the Region of the Isthmus of Kra

Institute for Classical Archaeology, Heidelberg University, Germany

Western sources of the first and second centuries CE knew of Suvarṇabhūmi as translated into Greek as Chryse (Golden Land), and of Suvarṇadvīpa, translated as Chrysonetiotike (Insular Chryse) or as Chryse Chersonesos (Golden Peninsula), with the latter translation certainly referring to the Malay Peninsula. These regions were reached by crossing the Gulf of Bengal from ports in south-eastern India. As starting points, the sources name ports on the coast of present-day Tamil Nadu and in the area of the Krishna delta in Andhra Pradesh. The finds of early Roman glass at archaeological sites on the east and west coast of the Kra Isthmus region underline the importance of these sites in connecting the maritime networks of the Gulf of Bengal and the Gulf of Thailand. Roman glass was widely distributed in Indian Ocean trade, as is evident by the widespread finds of one particular shape vessel, the ribbed bowl. This vessel type is easily identified in the archaeological record, even if only a small fragment has been preserved. Further analysis of Roman glass fragments from Kra Isthmus sites provide new insights into provenance. Many of the glass vessels were probably manufactured in Egypt, but some can be attributed to workshops in Italy. Often they represent upmarket if not luxury products.