MARITIME ARCHAEOLOGY IN SOUTHEAST AND EAST-ASIA

Maritime archaeology has recently started to make a contribution to the understanding of the history and archaeology of Southeast and East Asia. The first maritime archaeological excavations in this area started in the mid 1970s; a growing body of information is now providing new evidence on the history of ship-building and the mechanisms of trade relations in the region. This paper describes the sites that have been studied in an archaeological manner (FIGURE 1), and draws the reader's attention to tentative conclusions that can be reached. Each region will be discussed briefly and the general nature of the research outlined. © 1990, Antiquity Publications Ltd. All rights reserved.