The concept of trade in ancient India was quite different from modern times. In olden day’s mariners, artisans, traders, Buddhist monks and religious leaders used to set sail together and this trend continued till the advent of modern shipping. The representation of art on the walls of the caves, stupas and temples enlighten us regarding their joint ventures, experiences and problems faced during the sea voyages. The finding of varieties of pottery, punch marked and Roman coins, Brahmi and Kharoshti inscriptions along the ports, trade centres and Buddhist settlements suggest the role played by them in maritime trade during the early historical period and later. Mariners of India were aware of the monsoon wind and currents for more than two thousand years if not earlier. Furthermore, the study shows that the maritime contact with Southeast Asian countries was seasonal and no changes of Southwest and Northeast monsoon have been noticed since then. This paper details the types of pottery, beads, cargo found at ports, trade routes and Buddhist settlements along the east coast of India and the role of monsoons in maritime trade. The impact of Buddhism on trade and society of the region are also discussed.

中文翻译：

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历史早期印度东亚和东南亚的航海考古学

古代印度的贸易概念与现代大不相同。在过去的水手中，工匠，商人，佛教僧侣和宗教领袖曾一起航行，这一趋势一直持续到现代航运业出现。洞穴，佛塔和庙宇的墙壁上的艺术品代表使我们了解到他们在海上航行中所面临的合资，经验和问题。沿港口，贸易中心和佛教定居点发现的各种陶器，打孔器和罗马硬币，婆罗门和哈罗什蒂铭文表明，在历史早期和后期，它们在海上贸易中发挥了作用。如果不是更早的话，印度的水手们已经知道了超过2000年的季风和洋流。此外，研究表明，与东南亚国家的海上接触是季节性的，此后未发现西南季风和东北季风的变化。本文详细介绍了印度东海岸港口，贸易路线和佛教定居点上发现的陶器，珠子，货物的类型，以及季风在海上贸易中的作用。还讨论了佛教对该地区贸易和社会的影响。