Latest / The Srivijaya Empire: Southeast Asia's Forgotten Maritime Superpower — Fexingo History
Srivijaya's Golden Sand: The Bangka Tin Mines That Fueled an Empire
Between the 7th and 13th centuries, the Srivijaya Empire dominated the Strait of Malacca not just by naval might but by controlling one of the ancient world's most valuable commodities: tin. This episode dives into the mines of Bangka Island and the Kinta Valley, where Orang Laut miners extracted cassiterite ore that was smelted into ingots and traded as far as Rome, Persia, and Tang China. Lucas and Luna explore how Chinese records like the Zhufan Zhi describe the mining process, how the Maharajas of Palembang taxed and regulated production, and how the tin trade funded Srivijaya's…
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