Archaeologists excavating a site near the ancient port of Berenice in Egypt have discovered a cache of Chera dynasty coins and black pepper seeds. This find provides definitive proof of direct maritime trade between the Red Sea and India's Malabar Coast during the 1st century CE.
The presence of these artifacts suggests that Indian merchants may have had a semi-permanent presence in Egyptian ports. The discovery is being hailed as a major milestone in understanding the scale of the ancient spice trade and the economic integration of the Roman and Indian worlds.