Among the materials circulating along Indian Ocean maritime networks, personal ornaments, textiles, and spices represent key categories of exchange. While archaeologists often associate these goods with social stratification and elite prestige, limited research has examined their ancient uses in broader social and religious practices. Studies typically treat these organic and inorganic materials separately, confining analysis within elite spheres. We propose to consider together textiles, spices, and ornaments to explore the evolution of social practices and rituals along trading routes in the Indian Ocean. Plant transfers and craft productions probably have accompanied (evolving needs in) daily practices extending beyond elite circles to encompass broader society.

This integrated approach shifts focus from Eurocentric or Easterly-focus trade narratives to examine how material culture shaped social transformations within Indian Ocean societies themselves. Rather than emphasizing what interested external powers, this approach prioritizes understanding how local communities adapted, innovated, and transformed their practices through material exchanges. What can the combined study of these organic and inorganic remains reveal about the evolution of social practices in Indian Ocean societies? How did textile production, spice cultivation, and ornament crafting collectively influence daily life transformations across these maritime networks?