Underwater explorers have identified the wreck of a 13th-century merchant vessel off the coast of Kerala, providing new evidence of the flourishing Indian Ocean trade during the medieval period. The ship’s hull contains thousands of polished carnelian and agate beads, which were highly prized commodities in the markets of the Middle East and Africa.
The team also recovered ceramic fragments from the Persian Gulf and bronze weights used for currency, indicating the multicultural nature of the cargo. This discovery highlights the strategic importance of the Malabar Coast as a global hub where goods from India, Southeast Asia, and the Arab world were exchanged centuries ago.