Sailing Around Erythraean Sea: Fifty One

In the last Section, the Koine Greek author had mentioned generally about Deccan, the southern peninsula of Indian subcontinent.


Among the market-towns of Dachinabades there are two of special importance, Pathana, distant about twenty days' journey south from Barygaza; beyond which, about ten days journey east, there is another very great city, Tagara. There are brought down to Barygaza from these places by wagons and through great tracts without roads, from Pathana, carnelian in great quantity, and from Tagara much common cloth, all kinds of muslins and mallow cloth, and other merchandise brought there locally from the regions along the sea Coasts. And the whole course to the end of Damarica is seven thousand stadia; but the distance greater to the coast country.

My Search:-

1. Dakshinabades: Daccan Platue or southern parts of Indian subcontinent.
2. Pathana: Paithan, A town situated fifty six kilometres south of Aurangabad, on the banks of Godavari River. It was the capital of Satavahana dynasty which ruled from second century BCE to second century CE. The city was well-known for its Saris. Paithan is south of Ozne (Ujjain) of Indo-Scythian Kingdom and the name was popular among Indo-Greek society. Ujjaini is its Sanskrit adaptation.

3. Tagara: Ter, a village, located on in Osmanabad District of Maharashtra. It is settled on the banks of Terana River. It was an ancient city on both banks of Terana River.It was known as Satyapuri in Puranas, and later Tagarnagar. In Sanskrit Tagar means boarder; in Marathi/Konkani it means shore, or river banks. Rivers used to be boarder of villages and towns. It came into prominence during Satavahana rule from second century BCE to third century CE. And the unknown sailor's journey coincides  with this. The river drains into Arabian sea (Bay of Bengal) at Rajamundry in Telugu country. Therefore Paithan and Ter were a part of ancient trade network connecting Deccan to east and west coasts of Indian subcontinent.

Damarica: The land of damar gum obtained from damar trees. It was plenty in the Eastern and Western coasts of Indian subcontinent. So, the land was called Damarica. It need not be in the common parlance, but it must have gained curreny  among the merchant community.
Damar trees are of two types-- Canarium strictum (പുന്ന പയൻ) and Calophyllum inophyllum ( പെരും പയൻ). Both are used in traditional medicines and perfumery. Both have similar properties - anti inflammatory and antiseptic. The fishing nets were treated in the water boiled with Dammar fruits to strengthen them. These nets were made of flax fibres.

It is not clear whether he had taken the land route, or river route. It is inferred that land and river routes were combined to bring them upto the coasts.

End of the Section 

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