Shipbuilding in India up to the 15^th century

Summary

ABSTRACT. The author describes the available sources of information on naval construction in India in the 15^th century (sculptures, inscriptions, coins, and literature). He investigates wood and other naval construction materials and then describes the various parts of ships and the influences affecting naval construction in India.

RÉSUMÉ. L'auteur décrit d'abord les sources d'information dont il dispose sur la construction navale en Inde au XV^e siècle (sculptures, inscriptions, monnaies, littérature). Il s'intéresse ensuite aux bois et aux matériaux de la construction navale, avant de décrire les différentes parties des navires et les influences subies par la construction navale en Inde.

INTRODUCTION

The maritime heritage of India dates prior to the Christian era. This heritage is often presented in various sources, which include archaeological, epigraphic, iconographic, numismatic, and literary material. Other than these, travel accounts and writings of travellers on the history of trade and on trade relations, ballads, and the songs of navigators form a large store-house of information relating to the maritime activities of India. These sources not only provide an insight into maritime activities but also into the technological capabilities related to shipbuilding and navigation achieved by our ancestors.

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

The information on boats in India can be obtained from a number of archaeological, epigraphic, numismatic, sources that are spread all over the country particularly along the coastal states. Sculptures in caves and temples at a number of locations like Sanchi, Puri, Konarak, Sirkazhi, give insights into the boat designs and their components at different periods of past history. For example the temples at Konark and Jagganath Puri in Orissa show boats with a low prow and a high stern and details of planking (Figure 1). The cave paintings in Cave 2 of Ajanta depict a boat with sails. Another form of sculpture which is often neglected is the ‘hero-stones’ erected in memory of fallen heroes or of battles won. Hero stones are vertical tablets with horizontal bands of sculptures which depict naval wars with details of the ships. They are locally known as nadukkal, virgals or palayas. They reflect types of boats of the past (Figures 2 and 3). The hero-stones are found in the states of Gujarat, Maharashtra and Goa.