Export of iron from SE Asia

Jens Nordlunde · 4th March 2005, 02:40 PM

Hi Mark,

Thank you for the information, it is interesting to notice, that not only did the Indians export iron, most likely wootz ingots, to countries to the west, as far as Africa, but they also had an export to the east, which is not common knowledge.
Another export route was far more north, in Turkmenistan. In a desert town, in an oasis on the Silk Road, called Merv/Marv, ingots were produced, and sold to the passing merchants. They had neither any iron ore nor any wood, so both had to be ‘imported’, the wood/charcoal from Afghanistan and the ore from further north sailed down, close to Merv on the rivers. You can read more in an article Ann Feuerbach has written in Minerva number 13. issue 4, 2002.

Jens

4th March 2005, 02:40 PM	#15
Jens Nordlunde Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 2,718	Hi Mark, Thank you for the information, it is interesting to notice, that not only did the Indians export iron, most likely wootz ingots, to countries to the west, as far as Africa, but they also had an export to the east, which is not common knowledge. Another export route was far more north, in Turkmenistan. In a desert town, in an oasis on the Silk Road, called Merv/Marv, ingots were produced, and sold to the passing merchants. They had neither any iron ore nor any wood, so both had to be ‘imported’, the wood/charcoal from Afghanistan and the ore from further north sailed down, close to Merv on the rivers. You can read more in an article Ann Feuerbach has written in Minerva number 13. issue 4, 2002. Jens