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ECONOMIC CONDITIONS
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earthen jars and the 'leather-bags filled with air' for crossing the rivers. However, it is clear that these different devices were largely in vogue during these centuries for the purpose of the river and sea-trade.
Foreign Sea-Trade-See-trade with foreign countries also existed during this time. Cināṁsuka is explained as cloth brought from China, while the Malaya cloth was from the Malaya country.1 The dye called kimira ga (kiramadāna) has also been mentioned2 which must have been imported from Persia.: Sea-route between India and China was more frequently used during these centuries, as among the sixty Chinese pilgrims mentioned by I-Tsing thirty-seven are found to have gone by sea."
In spite of a regular sea-trade, sea-voyages were not very safe. Apart from the fear of the ship-wrecks or the wild acquatic animals, the fear of the sea-pirates was most important. We are informed that the sea-pirates, who captured men and deprived them of their belongings, constantly kept on moving in the sea on their large boats (nava) or the pirateships." Perhaps the author here makes a reference to the piratical activities of the Gujarat traders or the Arab traders?, which had started on the western coast as early as the middle of the seventh century A.D.
Ports- Among the chief historic ports of Gujarat, Bāravai, Teyālagapatļana, Purima, Diva, Pabhāsā and Bharukaccha have been mentioned. The ships are mentioned to have regularly sailed from Teyālagaparțana to Bāravai. Bāravai seems to be same as Dvārakā on the sea-shore, although it has
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1. NC. 2, p. 399. 2. NC. 3, p. 149. 3. Gopal, op. cit., p. 152. 4. Ibid., pp. 108-09. 5. Araur gatuan guridar ai torte A EHF
p. 367. 6. Gopal, op. cit., pp. 127-28. 7. Housani, Arab Sea-faring, pp. 53-55. 8. ET SIST.Entit arcas FFK-NC. 1, p. 69.
ular H
N C. 3,
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