Latest / The Srivijaya Empire: Southeast Asia's Forgotten Maritime Superpower — Fexingo History
Srivijaya's Tin Trade: The Metal That Powered an Empire
Tin was the unsung backbone of the Srivijayan economy, funding its Buddhist monasteries, naval power, and diplomatic gifts to Tang and Song China. This episode traces the tin trade from the mines of the Malay Peninsula—especially the Kinta Valley and the island of Bangka—to the bustling port of Palembang. Lucas explains how Srivijaya controlled the tin supply chain through a network of tributary mining settlements and Orang Laut patrols, and how Chinese records like the Zhufan Zhi and Songshu document the empire's tin exports. Luna asks about the archaeology of tin smelting, the link…
The skinny
The skinny isn't ready yet — notes appear once the transcript is processed.