صناعة السفن التجارية في العصر الوسيط : دراسة مقارنة بين صناعة سفن البحر المتوسط و سفن المحيط الهندي

Abstract EN

What’s exciting in the subject of building of commercial ships in the Middle Age is that big difference between the ships that were built in the Mediterranean and those built in the Indian Ocean.

While wooden blocks were linked in the first by metal nails, they were linked in the second by cords nd ropes.

This phenomenon has attracted the attention of ancient geographers and historians and modern scholare.

A lot has been presented to account for it.

These opinions diversed between mythical and improvised interpretation to the analysis depending 011 observation.

Some of the opinions (lioughl of the phenomena 011 purely economical basis, whereas others just presented descriptions, neglecting the reasons behind it.

The present research paper aims at raising Ihc topic through an exposition and analysis of those opinions forwarded by famous geographers like Masoudi, Idi'isi, Ki/.wini, 1 bn Jupair, Marco I’olo and Ibn Uatota.

It also discusses some of the interpretations prcscntcs by modern scholars to account for this phenomenon.