Cross-Cultural Trade in World History

The trade between peoples of differinf cultures, from the ancient world to the commercial revolution.

Philip D. Curtin (Author)

9780521269315, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 25 May 1984

308 pages
22.7 x 15.4 x 1.9 cm, 0.47 kg

'Once again, Philip Curtin has written a remarkable book - an account of how, throughout history, merchants and merchant groups have transcended the barriers of locality and parochialism to link together widely separate parts of the globe. A masterly study by a master historian.' Eric R. Wolf, City University of New York

A single theme is pursued in this book - the trade between peoples of differing cultures through world history. Extending from the ancient world to the coming of the commercial revolution, Professor Curtin's discussion encompasses a broad and diverse group of trading relationships. Drawing on insights from economic history and anthropology, Professor Curtin has attempted to move beyond a Europe-centred view of history, to one that can help us understand the entire range of societies in the human past. Examples have been chosen that illustrate the greatest variety of trading relationships between cultures. The opening chapters look at Africa, while subsequent chapters treat the ancient world, the Mediterranean trade with China, the Asian trade in the east, and European entry into the trade with maritime Asia, the Armenian trade carriers of the seventeenth century, and the North American fur trade. Wide-ranging in its concern and the fruit of exhaustive research, the book is nevertheless written so as to be accessible and stimulating to the specialist and the student alike.

List of illustrations
Preface
1. Trade diasporas and cross-cultural trade
2. Africa: incentives to trade, patterns of competition
3. Africa: traders and trade communities
4. Ancient trade
5. A new trade axis: the Mediterranean to China, circa 200 BC–AD 1000
6. Asian trade and the rise of Islam
7. The European entry into the trade of maritime Asia
8. Bugis, banians and Chinese: Asian traders in the era of the great companies
9. Overland trade of the seventeenth century: Armenian carriers between Europe and East Asia
10. The North American fur trade
11. The twilight of the trade diasporas
Bibliography
Index.

Subject Areas: General & world history [HBG]