Coming Soon

The Spice Trade

The first people to live in Malaysia were Stone Age hunter-gatherers. They
arrived as early as 8,000 BC. Later Stone Age farmers came to Malaysia and
displaced them. (The hunter-gatherers continued to exist but they retreated
into remote areas). The farmers practiced slash and burn agriculture. They
cleared an area of rain forest by burning it then grew crops. After a few
years the land would be exhausted and the farmers would clear a new area.
However within a few years the old area would become covered in vegetation
and would become fertile again.

After 1,000 BC metal-using farmers came to Malaysia. They made tools from
bronze and iron and they settled along the coast and along rivers. They
lived partly by fishing, partly by growing crops.

In the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD centralised states arose in Malaysia. The
greatest was Kedah in the North. The Malaysians became highly civilised.
Malaysian civilisation was heavily influenced by India. (Malaysians traded
with India from the 3rd century AD. After that contact with India was common).
Malaysian laws and writing shoe Indian influence. The religions of Buddhism
and Hinduism were also introduced into Malaysia at that time.

Exposing The Journey of Spices