Jignasa Journal Of History Of Ideas And Culture Part 01

Author(s): Vibha Upadhyaya and Others
Publisher: University of Rajasthan

Page 269

Sea Ports of Barbaricum and Barygaza : International Trading Stations of the Kushans
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and other countries of the western world on a large scale. Referring to the market-towns of Barygaza and cities which follow to its south-Suppara and Calleina, the Periplus says that the seaport and the city which had been possessed by the elder Saraganus, in the time of the occupation of Sandares were greatly obstructed and Greek ships landing at the port had often to be taken to Barygaza under guard.
Barygaza of the classical literature has been identified with Bharukachchha or Bhrigukachchha on the left bank of the Narmada and the excavations (1958-60) by K.V. Saoundara Rajan of the Archaeological Survey of India have revealed a cultural sequence of four periods of which the Period III is concerned with the early centuries of the Christian era. It is regretted that the site is heavily inhabited and no larger area is available for detailed study.
Barygaza was under the rule of Nambanuss who is identified with Nahapana, a Saka ruler of Western India. The Western Kshatrapas ruled for centuries in this region and they may rightly be considered to be governors of the Kushãnas who asserted independence soon after. The north Indian merchandise of the Kushãņa territories must have found Barygaza a convenient port for their exports.
Since strained relations existed between the Kushãņas and the Sãtavahanas, whenever the Sãtavahana rule passed into the hands of a weak ruler, their western seaports became subject to such chaotic conditions that more frequently the foreign ships had to be diverted under guard to Barygaza. The anarchy in the hinterland and the waters had spread so widely that beyond Calliena and upto the White Island to the south of Chersoneseus, the port lands in which there existed such market towns as Semylia. Mandagor, Palaepatmae, Melizigara, Byzantium, Togarum and Aurannoboas and the islands of Sesecrienae, Aegidu and Ceaenitae, piracy had been more frequent. Native fishermen as guides were in the employ of the western Kshatrapas who assisted the foreign merchants on board their ocean-liners. These sea guards sailed in large boats called trappaga and cotymba and west as far as Syrastrene and guided the foreign ships to Barygaza from the bay's mouth towering them to destined stations
A safer sea voyage was assured from Barygaza where along with the merchants-ware of south, great quantities of spikenard. Costus and bdellium brought through Scythia (the lower Indus region) and Poclais (Puskalavati) from Caspapyrene (Kashmir), Paropanisene (Western Gandhara region) and Cabolitic (Kabul Valley) were exported along with Chinse raw silk, silk yarn and silk cloth which were brought from Thinae (Nanking) on foot through Bactrea to Barygaza for export
Ancient Barbaricum has been generally identified with modern Banbhore or Bhambore, an ancient city on Indus, located in Sindh (Pakistan) which lies in between Karachi and Thatta. It is situated on the northern bank of Gharo creek, about 65 kms from Karachi. The archaeological evidence suggest that the port city continued to exist from the first century BCE to the thirteenth century CE and was deserted afterwards due to change in the course of the Indus. The city is also connected with Debal, conquered by Muhammad-bin-Qasim in 711-712 after defeated king Dahir, the last Hindu ruler of Sindh. From time to time excavations at the site have been carried out by R.C. Majumdar (1928), Leslie Alcock (1951), F.A. Khan (1958-65). Among structures, remains of a grand mosque, a palatial building and fortifications and gateways have been exposed besides good amount of antiquities.
Barbaricum as the principal seaport which finds mention in the Periplus and with an alternate form as Barbarei in Ptolemy belongs to the Kushãņas. This was a wharf city in the middle of the Indus delta which with the steady silting of the soft alluvium has been, now, abandoned. Schoff's