Ran Zhang of Durham University explores the role of Chinese ceramics in the Indian Ocean trade within the broader framework of archaic globalisation, focusing on maritime networks linking China with the Persian Gulf, East Africa, and South Asia (8th–19th centuries). In this Quantitative History Webinar, he will examine how Chinese ceramics became global commodities, facilitated by specialised production centres and strategic trade routes, and contextualises these exchanges within major economic and political shifts, including the decline of Indo-Roman trade, Sasanian and Abbasid maritime dominance, and Ming-era connections with the Arabian Gulf. Through case studies of the Hormuz Kingdom and Julfar (Ras al-Khaimah, UAE) in the Gulf, this presentation highlights their role as key Gulf entrepôts in the trade and distribution of Chinese ceramics. Archaeological evidence, particularly in the contexts of agricultural and population expansion, economic activities, and manufacturing industries, reveals the integration of these sites into global trade networks. By combining archaeological and historical evidence, his research provides insights into how Chinese ceramics shaped economic and cultural interactions in the premodern world.

Discussant: Bin Yang, Professor of History, City University of Hong Kong