An Encyclopaedia of Indian Archaeology v1.c9.s18.t3.38

v1.c9.s18.t3.38

From the 1st to the 3rd centuries A.D. India enjoyed a flourishing trade with the Roman empire. The sea trade was carried through the ports on the w. coast such as Broach (Bhṛgukaccha), Sopara (Śūrpāraka), Cheul (Cemula), Kalyan (Caliene of the Romans) and other ones of lesser importance. This trade contact with the Roman world is reflected in the cultural equipment of the period—referred to as the Indo-Roman—at several sites, viz. KOLHAPUR, TER, NASIK, PAUNAR, BHOKARDAN and PAITHAN, where objects of Roman origin such as fragments of amphorae [11.19], glass beads, coins, bullae [6.4], lamps and the Megarian Ware [11.18] have turned up. By far the most important hoard of Roman objects, all of Alexandrian workmanship, has been discovered at KOLHAPUR. It consists of a number of bronze vessels, candelbra, stands and above all a statuette of Poseidon, the sea god, which is one of the finest of its class. Similarly objects of Indian origin found their way to the w., the most important among them is the famous ivory statue from Pompeii which is strikingly similar to one from BHOKARDAN.