Name:___________________________________ Period:___________
Ibn Battuta – in the Indian Ocean
The Maldives
The Maldives are islands southwest of India, directly in the line between the western coast of India and the trade city of
Kilwa on the east coast of Africa. Ibn Battuta’s description explains a lot about the role of the Maldives in Indian Ocean
commerce. Two products are especially important: coconut fiber rope for the shipping industry, and cowrie shells used
for currency (money) as faraway as Bengal, China, and West Africa. These cowries are unique to the Maldives, so they
are useful as money in that it is an item that is rare, durable, and easy to use. Cowries from the Maldives are known to
have been used as currency from the earliest periods of Indian Ocean trade through the 19th century.
"In each island...are beautiful mosques, and most of their buildings are made of wood. They are very clean and avoid
filth...They make plentiful use of perfumed oils... Their [roads] are kept swept and clean and are shaded by trees, so that
to walk in them is like walking in an orchard...From these islands there are exported the fish we have mentioned,
coconuts, cloths, and cotton turbans, as well as brass utensils...cowrie shells and qanbar [spun coconut fiber ropes]...
These cords are exported to India, China, and Yemen, and are better than hemp. The Indian and Yemeni ships are sewn
together with them, for the Indian Ocean is full of [coral] reefs, and if a ship is nailed with iron nails it breaks up on
striking the rocks, whereas if it is sewn with cords, it does not fall to pieces. The inhabitants of these islands use cowrie
shells as money. They are used for buying and selling at the rate of four hundred thousand shells for a gold dinar [Arab
coin], but they often fall in value to twelve hundred thousand for a dinar. They sell them in exchange for rice to the
people of Bengal, who also use them as money, as well as to the Yemenis, who use them instead of sand [as ballast] in
their ships. These shells are also used by Africans in their lands; I saw them being sold at Mali and Gao at the rate of
1,150 for a gold dinar."
The Malabar Coast
Ibn Battuta also described the cities, roads and harbors of the Malabar Coast, on the west coast of India, which was like
a hinge for the two halves of the Indian Ocean trade routes. This coast was a place where many cultures, religions,
languages and goods lived side-by-side, all benefitting from trade and the wealth it brings, despite their differences.
"Three days later we reached the land of Malabar, which is the pepper country. It extends for 2 months' journey along
the coast from Sandabur [today called Goa] to Kawlam [today called Quilon]. The road over the whole distance runs
beneath the shade of trees, and every half-mile there are benches...and a well for drinking...On this road there is not a
foot of ground but it is cultivated [items being farmed]...I have never seen a safer road than this...Muslims are most
highly honored among them, except that [those of other faiths] do not eat with them or allow them into their
houses...In the Malabar lands there are twelve infidel [non-Muslim] sultans, some of them with strong armies and some
with weak. Yet there is no discord between them...Two days' journey brought us to Fakandur, a large town on an inlet.
Here there is a large quantity of sugar-canes... Three days after leaving we reached Manjarur [today called
Mangalore]...this is the town to which most of the merchants from Fars [Persia, today known as Iran] and Yemen come,
and pepper and ginger are abundant there… There is a colony of about four thousand Muslims there. Conflicts break out
between them and the townspeople, but the sultan makes peace between them on account of his need of the
merchants. ...We set sail for the town of Hili...it is large and well-built, situated on a big inlet which is navigable for large
vessels. This is the farthest town reached by ships from China...The town of Hili is respected by both Muslims and
infidels on account of its beautiful mosque....Then we travelled to the city of Calicut, which is one of the chief ports of
Malabar and one of the largest harbors in the world. It is visited by men from China, Sumatra, Ceylon, the Maldives,
Yemen and Fars, and in it gather merchants from all quarters....When we reached the city, the inhabitants and
merchants and the sultan's representative came out to welcome us with drums, trumpets, bugles and standards
[banners] on their ships. We entered the harbor in great ceremony, the like of which I have never seen in those lands."
Ibn Battuta Questions:
Directions:
1. Read this document once through
2. Read the document a second time, number the paragraphs and annotate (circle, underline and questions) DO
NOT USE HIGHLIGHTERS
3. Next get 3 different colors of highlighters
4. Highlight all the trade items you see mentioned
5. Using a second color, all the trade areas that are mentioned
6. Using a third color and highlighting all the cultural ideas/items that are mentioned
Answer the questions below:
7. What qualifications are important when selecting an item to be used as currency (money)?
8. Why was the Malabar Coast so central to the Indian Ocean Trade system?
9. Why was Ibn Battuta so impressed with the Malabar Coast?
10. Why did the sultan of Manjarur work so hard to keep the peace between Muslims and non-Muslims living there?
11. What was so special about the harbor at Calicut?