The Cowry Route

The Portuguese knew about the Maldives from the moment they reached the East. As early as 1502-3, Vicente Sodre's fleet traveled to the Maldives and seized four gundras.

When Ibn Majid died around 1500, Maldives Maalimees (Captains) or Nakhudas (Ship owner), had his text as guides. In fact, after Ibn Majid’s death for several generations, nothing was heard of him until Said Hussain Sidi, a Maldives Captain offered a Majid- Kithaab (book) to James Princep in 1836.

A Maldivian master boat-builder did not use diagrams or sophisticated instruments to turn out a perfect boat. He did it all, relying entirely on experience and observation.

In Maldives, there were certain islands where the boat builders were considered to be expert craftsmen, and such masters of the craft would be engaged to build boats for people of other islands too.

The Maldives has a rich history of trading coconuts and copra, the dried coconut kernel. The coconut tree, being the national tree of the Maldives, serves as an essential source of nourishment, shelter, and livelihood.

The legacy of Sultan Al hajj Hassan Nooraddeenul Iskandhar I continues to resonate in Maldivian history. His reign is remembered for its challenges and triumphs, reflecting a period of significant historical importance for the Maldives

The Sadhabas' voyages took place between the 1st century BCE and the 10th century CE. The Sadhabas sailed across the Bay of Bengal in large wooden boats called Boitas ,They traded goods like spices, silk, ivory, muslin, gemstones, and textiles 

In ancient times, Maldivians used shark oil ( Miyaru Theyo ) to coat ship hulls to prevent marine organisms like algae and mollusks from attaching, which could slow the vessel.

In 1753, Muleege Dhon Hassan Manik (Dhon Bandaara) sent a delegation led by the minister Ali Maafaiy Manikfan to meet Joseph-François Dupleix, Governor of French India based in Pondicherry.