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Synopsis The volume encapsulates the results of ongoing research on different aspects of the archaeology of the Indian Ocean: archaeobotany; ethno-archaeology; maritime ethnography and numismatics. These issues have been discussed within the wider context of movements of communities across the Indian Ocean both fishing and sailing communities, as also travellers and traders. A range of textual sources, including those in Greek and Arabic have been analysed, together with representations in cartography, the objective being to initiate interest in an holistic approach to early seafaring activity. The contributors form part of a larger Indian Ocean community of scholars, actively involved in study and research in different parts of the region. Many of them have participated in the two international conferences held in 1994 in New Delhi and in 1996 in Lyon. The proceedings of the first, jointly edited by H.P. Ray and J.F. Salles have been published under the title: Tradition and Archaeology: Early Maritime Contacts in the Indian Ocean, Manohar publishers, New Delhi, 1996; while the second is being printed by Brepols Publishers in their Indicopleustoi series and is titled: Communautes maritimes de I'Ocean Indien.