Maritime Heritage of Gujarat, Kathiawad and Kutch

Mary R. Edward

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2026
• eBook ISBN: 9781040826447
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: Historical Geography
• Index: History

First published in 2013, Maritime Heritage of Gujarat, Kathiawad and Kutch spans over four thousand years, uncovering the region's maritime traditions dating back to the Indus Valley Civilization. Marine archaeological excavations have revealed artifacts that highlight Gujarat's ancient trade links with Egypt, Mesopotamia, Bahrain, and others. The state's maritime legacy is reflected not only in archaeological findings but in literature, sculptures, memorial stones (palayas), boat-building traditions, seamen's manuals (pothis), daily accounts (roznamas), living practices, customs, trade accounts, and others.

Situated on India's northwestern coast, Gujarat is the country's principal maritime state, with a strategic 1600 km coastline—one-third of India's total—offering proximity to the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and Pakistan. Today, the Gulf of Kutch and Gulf of Khambhat are emerging as industrial and energy hubs for the state and the nation.

This book is ideal for maritime historians, cultural scholars, and readers interested in Gujarat's rich coastal heritage.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Original Title Page
• Original Copyright Page
• Dedication Page
• About Maritime History Society
• Foreword
• Preface
• Acknowledgement
• Contents
• 1. Maritime Gujarat: Spatio – Temporal Perspective
• 2. Data Sources for Study of Maritime Heritage of Kutch, Kathiawad and Gujarat
• 3. Gujarat – Physical Environment
• 4. Coasts of and Seas around Gujarat
• 5. Changes in Coastal Configuration since Mid – Holocene
• 6. Pre – Historic Past of Gujarat - External Linkages
• 7. Maritime Contacts and Trade in the Vedic Period (1500 BC – 1500 AD)
• 8. Gujarat – In the Pre-Christian and Early Christian Eras (500 BC – 500 AD)
• 9. Medieaval Gujarat – Ports, Hinterland and Trade (500 AD – 1500 AD)
• 10. Sea Ports of Colonial Times and Their Trade (1500 AD – 1800 AD)
• 11. Modern Ports of Gujarat
• 12. Boat Forms of Gujarat
• 13. Customs and Traditions of the Seafarers of Gujarat
• 14. Superstitions and Beliefs of Gujarati Seamen
• 15. Piracy since Ancient Past, Through Medieaval and Colonial Times
• 16. Navigational Hazards and Traditional Landmarks of the Past
• 17. Modern Day Navigation Landmarks – Lighthouses, Beacons and Buoys
• 18. Coasting and Overseas Routes and Traditional Charts
• 19. Animate and Inanimate Resources of the Continental Shelf of Gujarat
• 20. Gujarat – Scope for Small Ports Development
• 21. Sea Power Strategy of Gujarat – Sea Laws
• 22. Maritime Heritage of Gujarat
• 23. Index