The History of Bengal (Vol. I: Hindu Period; Vol. II: Muslim Period 1200–1757) v1.c19.s8.1

v1.c19.s8.1

The high antiquity of Bengal's inland and foreign trade is proved by the Jātaka stories, the accounts of Strabo and Pliny, and the *Periplus of the Erythraean Sea*. Two factors seem to have promoted this early growth of commerce,—first, the qualitative and quantitative development of Bengal's industries, and secondly, the unrivalled facilities for movement afforded by the sea-coast and river-systems of the province.