History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c23.s2.t1.4

v1.c23.s2.t1.4

The earliest references to *Kṣaumā* in the sense of linen garments occur in the *Maitrāyaṇīsaṃhitā* (3.6.7), and the *Taittirīyasaṃhitā* (6.1.1-3)⁵. Domestic production could not have been sufficient at all times to meet the demand and supplies must have been drawn from other sectors. Circa B.C. 600, the Phoenicians were distributing Egyptian linen in the Mediterranean region (Broudy, p.47). Since there is indication of the Phoenician network penetrating into Babylonia it would not be unreasonable to surmise that Egyptian linen was vended in India through a distribution system linking Western India to Babylonia through the Persian seaways. When the Roman market impinged on the Erythraean Sea, Egyptian linen was exported to India through intermediaries in Roman trade in payment for spices (Frank, p. 282)⁶. The predominant demand appears to have been for fine quality linen and in the *Amarakośa*, *Kṣaumā* is regarded as synonymous with *dukulā*. In course of time it was identified with the silk and between the 12th and 16th centuries A.D. its original meaning began to be forgotten (Sandesara and Mehta, p.28; Sarkar, p.60: Ray, p.195).