RESEARCH PAPER

ARAB INFLUENCE AND ITS IMPACT ON INDIAN AND EAST AFRICAN

COASTLINES

VAISALI KRISHNAKUMAR
AC 634
2012-2014

GUIDED BY
PROF. NALIINI THAKUR
ASST PROF LAXMIPRIYA
SCHOOL OF PLANNING AND ARCHITECTURE, NEW DELHI

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MAY2014

TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. AIM ...................................................................................................................................................... 3
2.

LITERATURE REVIEW ....................................................................................................................... 6

3.

THE NATURE OF ARAB TRADE ......................................................................................................... 9

4.

5.

6.

7.

3.1

GEOGRAPHY ............................................................................................................................ 9

3.2

HISTORY ................................................................................................................................... 9

3.3

ROLE OF MONSOON .............................................................................................................. 11

3.4

ITEMS ARABS TRADED WITH INDIAN COAST AND AFRICAN COAST ..................................... 12

THE GROWTH OF SWAHILI TRADING TOWNS ............................................................................... 13

4.1

KILWA MOMBO, TANZANIA: ................................................................................................. 14

4.2

ZANZIBAR PORT ..................................................................................................................... 15

4.3

MOGDISHU PORT: ................................................................................................................. 15

4.4

KENYA .................................................................................................................................... 16

GROWTH OF PORTS IN INDIAN PENINSULA .................................................................................. 17

5.1

GOA : ..................................................................................................................................... 18

5.2

CALICUT: ................................................................................................................................ 19

5.3

CRANGNORE: ......................................................................................................................... 20

5.4

QUILON:................................................................................................................................. 20

5.5

COCHIN: ................................................................................................................................. 21

SPREAD OF ISLAM AND EVALUATING ITS INFLUENCE ON THE COAST ......................................... 21

6.1

ISLAM RELIGION .................................................................................................................... 21

6.2

Morphological components of the Muslim settlement ........................................................ 22

SWAHILI CULTURE AND MAPPILA CULTURE ................................................................................. 23

7.1

CASESTUDY- EXAMINING THE ARCHITECTURE OF THE SWAHILI TOWN OF LAMU .............. 23

7.2
CASESTUDY- EXAMINING THE ARCHITECTURE OF THE MAPPILA SETTLEMENT OF
KUTTICHIRA ....................................................................................................................................... 27
7.3

INFLUENCE IN EAST AFRICA................................................................................................... 30

7.4

INFLUENCE IN MALABAR ....................................................................................................... 32

8.

CONCLUSION ................................................................................................................................. 33

9.

BIBLIOGRAPHY ............................................................................................................................... 35

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1. AIM
The paper aims to study the impact of Arab Navigation and trade on the Indian and
East African coast by exploring the cultural and economic aspect
OBJECTIVES
o To study the conditions that led to the active trade in Indian Ocean by the
Arabs
o To explore the nature of Arab Navigation and trade with the East African coast
and Malabar Coast, their motives and expertise
o To study the cultural and social evolution that took place along the East
African and Malabar coastline.
o To construct a framework for evaluating the extent of socio cultural and
architectural impact in these coastlines due to Arab influence.
o To evaluate the nature of influence Arab trade had on the coastline port cities
of East Africa and West India.
o To compare and analyse the settlement of Lamu in African and Kuttichira of
the Malabar coast.
METHODOLOGY
The study for this research paper is based on secondary sources and literature on the Arab
world and its role on the maritime trade. As the purpose of the paper is to evaluate the
relationship and impact Arab merchants and traders had on the local lives of the people of
Malabar Coast and East African coast, my focus has mainly been on the Islamic principles,
and the culture and evolution of the Mappilas and Swahili people. The research began with
extensive reading and gathering information on the principles that govern planning of an

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Islamic city, and the unifying factors that bring the various Muslim settlements under one
umbrella despite being diverse in their architecture.
The research then took a turn towards exploring the trade relations that the Arab World had
with other countries and the impact that this association has brought about. The scenario that
prevailed along the East Africa and Malabar Coast are of comparable scale and therefore the
study was scoped down to the particular area.
With constant discussion with guides and analyse of the collected data conclusions of the
paper was made.

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1. INTRODUCTION
In the ancient times, winds shaped the navigation over sea and from simple boats to
traditional ones which made it possible for human being to roam around various parts of the
known world. The coastal people indulge in seafaring playing an important role in bringing
different nations closer which gave way to trade between different nations of the Indian
Ocean.
Ancient history tells us that Romans and Greeks knew about the Indian Ocean and
hence carried out their first maritime expedition in 1498AD from Egypt to East Africa.
The vastness of the Ocean, compounded by the intensity of its seasonal wind
system, had, for quite a long time in the distant past, made oceanic-sailing difficult and had
kept the different peoples and cultures apart. It is to the credit of the Arab mariners and
traders, who played a bridging-role among the fragmented cultural entities, that diverse
peoples spread around and all over the Indian Ocean. From the very beginning Arabs and
Persians were linked through the maritime trade with people of East Africa, the Western
Indian Coast and even up to Chinese and South eastern coast. The coastal region of Indian
Ocean was an area of social and cultural diversity enriched with four different civilizations.
Thus the maritime trade generated a strong sense of bonding between the people of different
geographic regions. The emergence of the Abbasid rulers not only increased the trade
activities but also gave way to conquest of lands by Islam rulers which strengthen their
position in sea trade compared to other regions who were more involved in defending their
land. Thanks to their knowledge and advancement in geography, cartography, astronomy,
meteorology, navigational science and shipbuilding, the Arabs reigned as the masters of the
seas. They facilitated the flow of goods, migrants, missionaries, animal breeds, plant species,
cultural practices, art and literature. They crisscrossed the Indian Ocean and cross-fertilised
the various ethno-cultural waves with some core values, thus creating the conducive

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environment for trade and a common milieu for inter-cultural and inter-regional development.
This integrative process was disturbed by the establishment of European political and
economic domination that began in the 15th Century after the exploratory expeditions of
Vasco da Gama in the Indian Ocean marking the decline of Arab dominancy in maritime
trade.
The paper looks into the period of 11th to 17th century during which Arabs dominated
the trade in the Indian Ocean and their role in spreading Islam , hence impacting the sociocultural setting of East African and Malabar Coast.
The paper supports my thesis topic on Conservation of Kuttichira, a Mappila
settlement of Kozhikode, Kerala which showcases a unique culture that is a fusion of Arabic
and local influences.
Due to time and material constraints the research and outcome is based on the
available material and secondary sources.

2. LITERATURE REVIEW
In the book, Architecture of the Islamic World by George Mitchell the entire field of Islamic
architecture from mosques to markets, from citadels to cemeteries, is surveyed. Although
Islamic buildings may make an immediate visual impact, it can be useful to know something
of the society which they serve. This text relates the architecture to the social areas of
religion, power structure, commerce and communal life, placing emphasis on function and
meaning rather than on style and chronology. The text contains photographs, drawings and
plans that highlight the variety of building type and design. Building materials, techniques,
and principles of decoration are also described and explained, and a comprehensive
inventory of the key buildings of the Islamic world concludes this study.

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Mappila Muslims of Kerala- A study of the Islamic trends by Roland Miller is an

addition to the meagre literature on the area as he discusses the Muslim Community whose
turbulent career has figured so prominently in Kerala History and whose representatives play
a prominent role in modern Kerala politics. Miller has produced the first significant study of
this important Indo Muslim community since William Logan, the Collector of the old
Malabar District. He introduces the culture by giving detailed account of the spread of Islam
in the area and the context of various religious practices followed in Kerala. The Mappila
Islamic community, probably the oldest on the South Asia Subcontinent formed gradually as
Arab traders from the Persian Gulf and red sea intermarried and converted members of the
Malayali Hindu community. In 1498 when Vasco da gama arrived, the mappilas wre
estimated to make up 20% of the total of Keralas populaiton which is more than the present
statistics. These MUSLIMS were part of Arab Islamic world rather than of the Persianinzed
cultural miliieu of the Mughal Empire and the Deccan Sultanates. Follows Shaki school not
the hanafi as central and north india.They share more with the Muslim communities of
Gujarat or those of Indonesia and the Philippines. In 19th and 20th century thought of as a
peasant population. Arabi -Malayalam -local Malayalam dialect written in the Arabic script.
He also is principally interested in the religious practices and Islamic culture of the Mappilas
and his discussion of these subjects forms the best sections of the book. He has also
appreciated the importance of Sufi saints as subjects of Mappila popular worship and to
describe the seasonal devotional festivals known as nerccas which honour these saints and
Muslim martyrs. In the book Muslim Architecture of South India by Mehrdad Shekoohy goes
in detail about the traditions of maritime settlers on the Coromandel and Malabar coast. He
gives a detailed account of the roles of the main ports along these coast, their history and the
rich muslim architecture seen in south India which is very unique and distinct compared to
that of the Islamic architecture seen in the rest of the country. Detail drawings are

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supplemented by architectural descriptions and comparison with structures in the South east
Asia as a part of special studies. However the author restricts his documentation only on the
religious structures of these town such as mosques, tombs and details on the urban form is
very limited. Swahili Origins: Swahili Culture and The Shunguwaya Phenomenon by James
De Vere Allen is a major study of the origin of the Swahili peoples and their cultural identity.
Kiswahili" has become the lingua franca of eastern Africa. Yet there can be few historic
peoples whose identity is as elusive as that of the Swahili. Some have described themselves
as Arabs, as Persians or even, in one place, as Portuguese. It is doubtful whether, even today,
most of the people about whom this book is written would unhesitatingly and in all contexts
accept the name Swahili. This book was central to the thought and lifework of the late James
de Vere Allen. It is his major study of the origin of the Swahili and of their cultural identity.
He focuses on how the African element in their cultural patrimony was first modified by
Islam and later changed until many Swahili themselves lost sight of it. They share a language
and they share a culture. Their territory stretches from the coast of southern Somalia to the
Lamu archipelago in Kenya, to the Rovuma River in modern Mozambique and out into the
islands of the Indian Ocean. But they lack a shared historical experience. James de Vere
Allen, in this study of contentious originality, set out to give modern Swahili evidence of their
shared history during a period of eight centuries. The book however lacks information on the
Swahili architecture and the evolution of the built form due to close association with the
Arabs and change in lifestyles.

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3. THE NATURE OF ARAB TRADE

3.1 GEOGRAPHY
Surrounded by the Persian Gulf, the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea on three sides, the
land of the Arabs has arid conditions and is isolated which triggered its people to follow
nomadic life with trade as their only means of livelihood. Apart from
the Nile, Tigris and Euphrates, navigable rivers in the this regions were uncommon, so
transport by sea was very important.1

3.2 HISTORY
Arabs were engaged in both land and sea journeys and they had trade links with
neighbouring states such as Iraq Iran Syria Egypt. Due to strategic location of Oman,
Baharain, Yemen, trade became a common occupation.
Arab ships sailed from India to Yemen ports where they unload their merchandizes.
From here these goods are transported though overland caravan routes all the way along the
Red sea coast to Syria and Egypt and then shipped to Europe via the Mediterranean sea.
In ancient history, The Indian Ocean was known to the Egyptian, Greeks and Roman
and this lead to the first maritime expedition in 1478 B.C of Queen Hatchepsut of Egypt to
explore the East Coast of Africa. The various paintings and scenes on the walls of her temple
depict Egyptian ships being loaded with myrrh-resin, ebony, ivory, gold, incense woods,
apes, dogs, panther skins from Somalia with the exotic Indian Ocean feature in nets under
water.
Pre-islamic Arabs had a good knowledge of the stars, the moon and winds, which they
utilized for agriculture and for travel by land and sea. Such knowledge is found scattered in
Preislamic Arabic poetry and in many books of 9th and 10th century. Islamic greography and
1

Arab Navigation in the Indian Ocean before European Dominance in South and Southeast Asia: A Historical
Study, Dr Arshad Islam

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navigational sciences were highly developed, making use of a magnetic compass and other
rudimentary instruments to measure altitudes and latitude of stars. Islam spread quickly from
Arabis into the surrounding countries in the 7th century. Arab scholars were more pragmatic
than their Greek predecessors; they relied in their descriptions of seas and oceans on direct
observation and experience. The oldest text available on Arab sea voyage describes about the
maritime routes from Siraf to Canton which the ships used to cover in cycles during a period
of 4 months which can be summarized as: Siraf to Mascat, then to Kalam( Malabar Coast)
and to the ports of Ceylon, then across the Bay of Bengal to Isle of Lingbalus(Nicobar) from
there to Kalabar( Malacca) and from there Mainland China to the Port of Kanfu(Canton. Post
the Portuguese expeditions in the Indian Ocean, the doors opened to great enterprise by the
Turks, British and Dutch. 2
The wide trade network established by the Arab empire across Europe , Asia and
Africa helped establish itself as the most powerful economic giants through 7th-13th centuries,
known in history as the Arab Age of Discovery.

History of Arab Navigation in the Indian Ocean, Anwar A. Aleem, Oceanography Department, University of
Alexandria, Egypt.

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Figure 1: Trade routes in Indian ocean ( 12th- 16th century

3.3 ROLE OF MONSOON

Monsoon is a rainy season which lasts for 6 months with lasting climatic effects. It
refers to both the dry and wet monsoon experienced in the South East Asian continent.
Greek and Roman mariners were able to reach the Indian coast to carry out extensive
maritime trade with the help of monsoon winds. It is clear that the seafarers were not able to
see the flow of the winds and currents but felt that there are forces that can drive the ships
faster than in normal conditions. Once the directional pattern of the Monsoon winds was
knows to Mariners they could effectively reduce the turn over time of their voyages to and fro
to their destinations. Once the monsoon winds where studies by Hippalus he concluded that a
voyage from Arab port to West coast port in India could be completed in 40 days. Similarly
voyages from the Indian coast to the Mesopotemia if started in the post monsoon periods

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could be completed in shorter periods using Retreating Monsoons. There have been evidences
of increases trading activities in this period with several ports being developed along the West
coast of India during this period.
SHIPS USED FOR MARITIME TRADE

Figure 2: Dhows used by the Arabs for trade

For many centuries, boats that sailed on the Indian Ocean were called dhows. While there
were many different types of dhows, almost all of them used a triangular or lateen sail
arrangement. This made them markedly different than the ships that evolved on the
Mediterranean. These ships had a characteristic square sail. The dhow was also markedly
different than the ships that sailed on the China Sea. Despite their historical attachment to
Arab traders, dhows are essentially an Indian boat, with much of the wood for their
construction coming from the forests of India. The dhow was known for two distinctive
features: it's triangular or lateen sail, and for it's stitched construction. Stitched boats were
made by sewing the hull boards together with fibres, cords or thongs.

3.4 ITEMS ARABS TRADED WITH INDIAN COAST AND AFRICAN COAST
The Spice Trade has involved the merchandising of spices, incense, drugs and even opium.
Spices were an important component of ancient commerce and attracted the attention of the

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Ptolemaic dynasty as well as that of the Roman Empire. The Spice Trade was transformed
when Black Pepper trading became an influential activity for European traders. One of the
main reasons is that spices preserve, and they also make the poorly preserved foods palatable,
masking the appetite-killing stench of decay. After bad harvests and in cold winters the only
thing that kept starvation at bay was heavily salted meatwith pepper. And there was never
enough of it. Thus pepper was as prized as with gold. Pepper, along with other spices such as
cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg, was such an important commodity five centuries ago that it
drove nations to sail across vast oceans searching for new routes to the spice-rich Orient.
Spices didn't just make merchants rich across the globe it established vast empires,
revealed entire continents to Europeans and tipped the balance of world power.
The thriving maritime routes of Southern Asia were not under the control of a single power,
and through various systems Eastern spices were brought to the major spice trading port of
Calicut in India.
Arabs traded for Gold , Ivory (the ivory of the African elephant more in demand than the
harder ivory of the Indian elephant), animal skins with the African Coast and
Spices,Silk,cottons and timber to build and repair their ships with the West Indian Coast in
exchange for Copper plates obtained from the Mediterranean countries and Arabian horses.
There was also slave traded from the East coast Africa as they as the cheapest form of labour
for the wealthy Arab merchants.

4. THE GROWTH OF SWAHILI TRADING TOWNS

Historians say that Arab commerce with the East African coast could go back as far as the
2nd century BCE. East African trade with India came later, around the 7th century CE. As a

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consequence of the international trade that developed in this region, markets became focused
on urban centers along the coast with concentrations of wealth and power. Some of the most
prominent market towns that developed are Mogadishu, Shanga, Kilwa, and Mombasa. The
merging of African, Arab, and Indian peoples along the East African coast (from southern
Somalia to northern Mozambique) produced a unique language (Kiswahili) and culture
(Swahili), which still exist today. Swahili is spoken today throughout East and Central Africa,
but the majority of Swahili speakers reside in Kenya and Tanzania.
The major ports Arabs conducted trade with in the East African coast:

4.1 KILWA MOMBO, TANZANIA:

On the northern end of the island of Kilwa Kisiwani about 2 kilometers (~1.25 miles) off the
coast of Tanzania lies the site of Kilwa (spelled Quiloa in Portuguese), the most important of
about thirty-five Swahili Coast trading communities on the Indian Ocean during the 11th
through 16th centuries AD. he earliest substantial occupation at Kilwa Kisiwani dates to the
7th/8th centuries AD when the town was made up of rectangular wooden dwellings and
small iron smelting operations. Imported wares from the Mediterranean were identified
among the archaeological levels dated to this period, indicating that Kilwa was already tied
into international trade at this time. Kilwa became a large center as early as 1000 AD, when
the earliest stone structures were built, covering perhaps as much as 1 square kilometer . The
first substantial building at Kilwa was the Great Mosque, built in the 11th century from coral
quarried off the coast, and later greatly expanded. In its heyday, Kilwa was one of the
principal ports of trade on the Indian Ocean, trading gold, ivory, iron, and slaves from interior
Africa including Mwene Mutabe south of the Zambezi River; imported goods including cloth
and jewelry from India; and porcelain from China.

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4.2 ZANZIBAR PORT

Traders from Arabia (mostly Yemen), the Persian Gulf region of Iran (especially Shiraz),
and west India probably visited Zanzibar as early as the 1st century AD. They used
the monsoon winds to sail across the Indian Ocean and landed at the sheltered harbor located
on the site of present-day Zanzibar Town. Although the islands had few resources of interest
to the traders, they offered a good location from which to make contact and trade with the
towns of the East African coast. A phase of urban development associated with the
introduction of stone material to the construction industry of the East African coast began
from the 10th century AD.
Traders began to settle in small numbers on Zanzibar in the late 11th or 12th
century, intermarrying with the indigenous Africans. Zanzibar was famous worldwide for its
spices and its slaves. It was East Africa's main slave-trading port, and in the 19th century as
many as 50,000 slaves were passing through the slave markets of Zanzibar each year.

4.3 MOGDISHU PORT:

Mogadishu was known as the White pearl of the Indian Ocean.Located in the
coastal Banaadir region of Somalia on the Indian Ocean, the city has served as an important
port for centuries. maritime trade connected Somalis in the Mogadishu area with other
communities along the Indian Ocean coast as early as the 1st century CE, and the ancient
trading power of Sarapion has been postulated to be the predecessor of Mogadishu.
With Muslim traders from the Arabian Peninsula arriving c. 900 CE, Mogadishu was wellsuited to become a regional centre for commerce. The name "Mogadishu" is held to be
derived from the Arabic Maq'ad Shah ("The seat of the Shah"), a reflection of the city's
early Persian influence

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For many years, Mogadishu stood as the pre-eminent city in the Bilad al Barbar ("Land of
the Berbers"), which was the medieval Arabic term for the Horn of Africa. By the time of
the Moroccan traveller Ibn Battuta's appearance on the Somali coast in 1331, the city was at
the zenith of its prosperity. Battuta described Mogadishu as "an exceedingly large city" with
many rich merchants, which was famous for its high quality fabric that it exported to Egypt,
among other places.

4.4 KENYA
Due to its strategically important position, many other groups of traders sought to impose
their dominance on the town, and it was continually fought over by various trading nations all
through its history. The Arab influence on Mombasa has been significant, and prominent at
various times in the towns history. Arab traders were known to sail down around to the
Kenya coast from the first century AD onwards, and this gave rise to heightened trade along
the coast. The Arabs continued to build trade linkages along the Kenyan coast, and Mombasa
and Lamu still exhibit the remnants of the dominance of Arab culture during this era.

Malindi Port:

Malindi has been a Swahili settlement since the 14th century. Once rivaled only
by Mombasa for dominance in this part of East Africa, Malindi has traditionally been
a port city for foreign powers. Malindi is the second largest coastal town of Kenya and it is
situated about 120 km north of Mombasa just a little south of the equator

Lamu Port

Lamu Town on Lamu Island is Kenya's oldest continually inhabited town, and was one of
the original Swahili settlements along coastal East Africa. It is believed to have been
established in 1370.

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Figure 3:East African Coast

5. GROWTH OF PORTS IN INDIAN PENINSULA

Asian merchants operated in mutually interactive community networks with ethnic, religious,
family or linguistic ties and an opportunistic concentration on profit. In this respect their
trading habits were not very different from those of Venetians or of Jewish traders in the Arab
world of the Mediterranean. In Western Asia and the Middle East merchants were generally
Arabs and Muslims, but further east they included Gujarati vaniyas, Tamil and Telugu
Chettis, Syrian Christians from Southwestern India, Chinese from Fukien and neighbouring
provinces. If they paid for protection and market access, they found that they were free to

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trade. If the protection became too expensive they usually had some leeway for moving
elsewhere.

The Portuguese trading network was different in two respects. It consisted of a string of
strongly fortified bases linked by a fleet of armed ships, so market forces were modified by
coercion. Unlike the Asian trading communities or in the European trading companies which
penetrated Asia at a later date, Portugal was involved in religious evangelism.

The headquarters of the Portuguese trading empire was established in 1510 at the captured
Arab port of Goa, an island harbour halfway up the west Indian coast which was a Portuguese
colony for nearly 460 years. It was the residence of the Portuguese Viceroy, and from 1542 it
was the headquarters of the Jesuit order for all its operations in Asia. A base was established
at Jaffna in Sri Lanka for trade in cinnamon. Most Portuguese shipments of pepper and ginger
originated from the Malabar coast of India.

Through studies we can find that it is most likely that the Arabs had been sailing to Malabar
for centuries to obtain timber for building their own ships. This led to the peacefull settlement
of many Arabs on the seashores of Malabar and Srilanka since first century CE.

Some of the important ports on the Malabar Coast:

5.1 GOA :
Goa was a long established port and had a large community of Muslim merchants, many of
whom were Arab and Persian settlers.

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Figure 4:A view from Johann Christoph Wagner, 'Delineatio provinciarum Pannoniae et Imperii Turcici in oriente,"
Augsburg, 1687

It was place of great trade and kept at sea a fleet of swift vessels with which they used to
make the ships which passed by come into their port to pay them their tax. From accounts of
travellers we know about the independence of the Muslim settlers from the local rulers as was
commonly the case with the Muslim settlements of Malabar. After the region was taken over
from Hindu kings by Bahmani sultans in 14th century, the Hindu town was gradually
abandoned, and it was the newly developed Muslim town which was taken over by the
Portuguese.

5.2 CALICUT:
Calicut developed as a major port in the 12th and 13th centuries and was unknown to the 10th
century Muslim traders which by 14th century was completely controlled by them. Calicut
never had a safe harbour, and ships did not dock near the coast, but anchored well away from
the shore in the open sea. Loading and unloading was carried out by small boats.

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Figure 5: A 16th century engraving of Calicut, Biblioteca Nacional,Lisbon

5.3 CRANGNORE:

A small town north of Kochin was once one of the

important ports of Malabar and the seat of an
independent coastal kingdom. William Logan
identifies the town as the ancient port of Muzris
noted in the Periplus where Greek ships from

Egypt used to go as early as the 1st cent. It is also

Figure 7: Crangnore Port

the place where Indias first mosque was built.

5.4 QUILON:
Kollam sea port was founded by Mar Abo with
sanction from Udayamarthandavarma the Tamil
king from Venad otherwise called Ay kingdom in
825 AD. It was a flourishing port of the Chera
Figure 6: Quilon Port

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Dynasty until the formation of the Venad kingdom. An ancient trading town trading with
Romans, Chinese, Arabs and other Orientals with historical citations of trade dating back
to Biblical history to Red Sea ports of the Arabian Sea and the reign of Solomon , Kollam
was considered one of the four early entrepots in the global sea trade around the 13th
century, along with Alexandria and Cairo in Egypt, the Chinese city of Quanzhou,
and Malacca in the Malaysian archipelago.

5.5 COCHIN:
Emerged as a major port only in the 15th
century prior to which is was known only for
its Jewish settlement. Ever today the rich
Muslim

heritage

of

Cochin

remains

unexplored, a reason being the Muslim

community while highly influential in the

commerce of the region kept low profile with

Figure 8: Portuguese map of district of Santa Cruz (Fort

Kochi), showing location of Fort Manuel of Cochin.
Orientation is eastwards, with Vembanad lake on top,
and Arabian Sea at bottom

regard to political affairs from the time of the

appearance of the Portuguese.

6. SPREAD OF ISLAM AND EVALUATING ITS INFLUENCE ON THE COAST

6.1 ISLAM RELIGION

Introduction of Islam in many martime cities across Asia, Africa and Europe has had an
irreversible and overwhelming impact on the social and urban development. New
communities have emerged as a result of the mixing of two cultures.3

Introduction to the Islamic City, Rabah Saoud, 2002,Foundation for Science Technology and Civilisattion, UK

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Design principles primarily around housing and access. Their development

paralleled that of Islamic law. A number of factors play important role in shaping the plan and
form of Muslim settlement. In addition to the influence of the topography and morphological
features of pre-existing town, every muslim settlement reflects the general socio-cultural and
economic structures of the newly created society which includes the following:

Natural laws
Religious and cultural belief
Design principles stemmed from Sharia law
Social principles

6.2 Morphological components of the Muslim settlement4

There are debates over the genesis and existence of an Islamic city as its argued that Arab
Muslims did not settle in new towns. Some historians share the view that towns in the Islamic
period have developed as an extension of the pre-existing ones and some of their
morphological features where inherited and some evolved through time. Scholars such as
Hakim , Eikelman see the Muslim settlement as an entity with distinctive form and
characteristics which led to the identification of key elements and features that bring all these
settlements under one umbrella. General consensus among scholars on a typical Islamic town
will have most if not all of the following features:

The main mosque

Souqs or Bazaars
Citadel
Residential quarters

Arabic Islamic Cities:Building and Planning Principles, B.S Hakim, 1979

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7. SWAHILI CULTURE AND MAPPILA CULTURE

The Swahili culture and language originated around 3rd century CE as a consequence of the
the interaction with Persian and Arabic merchants and explorers. These merchants created
trading settlements on the Swahili Coast and nearby Islands mixing with the local Bantu
people. During the period from 10th to 15th known as the Shirazi Era, the Swahili culture got
further enriched with the interaction between Arabic, Persian and Bantu traditions.

Aspects of Swahili culture are diverse due to its influences from Indian and European cultures
as well. Historic Swahili culture was intensely urban and dominated by a strict class culture,
with the elite group called Waungwana identifying themselves as Arab- African, and
determined to distinguish themselves from the purely Bantu population.

7.1 CASESTUDY- EXAMINING THE ARCHITECTURE OF THE SWAHILI TOWN OF

LAMU
Lamu Port and the settlement is the oldest and the best preserved living settlement among the
Swahili towns on the East African coast, and therefore justifies the selection for detailed
analysis of the settlement and built form.

Figure 9: Lamu Port

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The building and their applied architecture carries a long history that represents the
development of Swahili architecture and building technology. The old town is thud a unique
and rare living heritage with more than 700 years of continuous settlement which is the same
case as in the Mappila settlement of Kuttichira.
Residences5

Material used- Coral stones, lime and sand which makes it more durable and
sustainable .

Courtyards in a Lamu Residence in placed in front of the building near the entrance.
The external facades are made simple with no balconies, simple window and a unique
feauture called Wikio ( flyover between residences for women). These features
enhances the introvert nature of the building clearly conforming to the laws of privacy
emphasised in the Quran.

The aesthetic richness is given more emphasis internally rather than externally.

WHC Nomination Documentation of Lamu Old Port, 2001

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Figure 10: Swahili Residence in Lamu

Settlement6

The narrow winding streets/ alleys are the main feautures of the streetscape of
Lamu.

Walls of the buildings and open galleries are designed such a way that they trap
and channel the cool sea breeze.

WHC Nomination Documentation of Lamu Old Port, 2001

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Buildings are Rectangular in shape, oriented north/south and are one or two
storeys.

Street settings are in North South, East- West directions and acts as tunnels and
communication areas as well as meeting place.

Figure 11: Lamu Settlement

The town square which functioned as a landing space of the port historically is
now a major meeting space.

These narrow streets have hindered motorised traffic to reach the town.

Street networks
Exterior(cemeteries, fields , weekly markets)

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7.2 CASESTUDY- EXAMINING THE ARCHITECTURE OF THE MAPPILA

SETTLEMENT OF KUTTICHIRA

Figure 12: Kuttichira or Thekkepuram with its subdivisions

Settlement

The central pond acts as the focal point and the main public zone of the settlement
from which the settlement derives its name too.

The main streets around the pond ivides into narrow roads which lead to the
residential units ( private zone).

The street network has been designed to incorporate the division of public domain
with private domain.

Roads are aligned in North-South East West directions.

The settlement is bounded by sea on the west, Bigbazaar on the north and timber
yard on the south which are the main sources of livelihood and employment of the

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resident Mapplias called Koyas. The eastern boundary was the low lying marshy
land now occupied by the Calicut Railway station.

Residences

He residences of the regions are large joint family houses called Tharavadus where
family follows the matrilineal system.

The planning of the spaces separate the private and public domain.
The planning concepts used in these residences is a mixture of Arabic houses and
local Nair houses.

The exterior is very simple when compared to the interior which is heavily
ornamented with intricate timberworks by traditional craftsmen.

Local materials such as Laterite blocks, timber and thatch has been used for
construction.

The residences growth and extension pattern is organic in nature.

Figure 13: Muthiraparambu Tharavadu, Source : Author

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Figure 14: Barahmi Veedu: Source: Author

Figure 15: Drawings of Srangiyalakam Tharavadu with the family tree of the residents ,Source: Author

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7.3 INFLUENCE IN EAST AFRICA

SOCIO CULTURAL

o Religion- Arabic remains key language used for worship. When Arabs reached
Fast African Coast they interacted with the local Batu tribe. The cultural
contact led to huge impact on the Swahili spiritual and material culture. Most
of the Swahili people converted to Islam. Their laws of marriage were
influenced by the Sharia law.

o Commerce and livelihood- Association with Arabs and interlinks with the
community has led to the birth of a wealthy sect of Muslim traders in these
coast associated with maritime business and transportation of goods from
hinderland to the coast. They are renowned as sailors, traders and artisans.
o Language and Life style- Kiswahili is the new language that emerged out of
this union.
o

ARCHITECTUREo Urban Planning- In urban settings houses have always been built in tightly
packed huddles accessed by narrow alleyways, keeping the heat and glare at
bay.
o Built formThe traditional urban Swahili House is characterised by its veranda in the front, t
hree rooms on each side of a central corridor from which all rooms are
accessed, and the backyard. The house type is in general spatially defined
using these crucial qualities. The Swahili house is
considered flexible because the ground plan can be changed within the limits of
the basic structure. The addition of new rooms,

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changed positions of doors or windows has led to various forms diverging from
the original house design. The advantages of the Swahili house
compared to other house types are that it allows for flexibility in furnishing and
functional use. Rooms can also be added at the main house or in the backyard.
In original appearance the walls of the Swahili house are made of mud
and poles and covered by a hipped roof. Small windows characterises
the facades of these houses which are occasionally plastered. Founda
tions are often of coral plinths but can by advantage be replaced by a
strong and durable soil foundation obtained with 10% cement.
The climate and the virtue of modesty extolled by the Quran determine the logic
behind traditional Swahili Architecture. Windows did exist but were kept
minimum width to limit glare and for privacy concerns.
o Elements- A fascinating feature of Omani architecture seen in these buildings
is the ornately carved doors which serves the symbol of the wealth of a
household.

Figure 16: Wooden doors with heavy decorative carvings

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7.4 INFLUENCE IN MALABAR

SOCIO CULTURAL

o Religion- The Mappila community follow the Shari school of Islam like the
Arabs. But unlike the patrilineal system followed in the Arab world, their
kinship remains matrilineal till date, which is borrowed from the regional
Hindu castes of Nairs. Marriages are conducted within the area to avoid
mixing with muslims with Persian beliefs.
o Commerce and livelihood- Mappilas are essentially a trading community,
who dominated the timber and spice trade, bringing these items from the
interiors to their godowns near the port and selling them to the Arabs and other
foreign merchants. Some sect of Mappils known as Marakkars served as naval
army of the Zamorins. In modern era, timber trade has suffered a lot due to
recent regulations on felling of trees forcing these traders to look for other
means of income. A large majority of Mappilas have migrated to Gulf
countries in search for better prospects.
o Language and Life style- Arabi Malayalam was a new language that
emerged from the association which is Malayalam, the local language, written in
Arabic script. Today this form of language is now overshadowed by Malayalam
and exists only in few texts and literary works and is not commonly used by the
locals. Although the Mappilas follow a different dialect of Malayalam that
includes many words borrowed from Arabic.

ARCHITECTUREo Urban Planning- The spaces in Mappila settlements follow the principles of
segregation of spaces, private from the public, male domain from female
domain. The street layout was such that the main branch from the public zone

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sub-divides to narrower streets towards the private zones which is abutted by

huge residences on either side.
o Built form- The built form is hugely influenced by the climate and regional
architecture as it was built by local craftsmen and artisans.
o Elements- The carved main door is an important features of these residences.
The carvings were usually Quranic verses with decorative features that is
commonly seen in the temples of the region. Even the columns are adaptation of
the local form. In very few residences in the past , the lattices window or
Mashrubiya whis is found in many Arab houses was adapted in residences here.
This feature is not seen anymore and has been removed from these residences.
The residences built during the 18th and 18th centuries show the usage of stained
glass for windows which can either be Arab or colonial influence.

8. CONCLUSION
Arabs who once dominated the Indian Ocean trade were the most instrumental in spreading the faith
of Islam to other trading countries. Along with this they also left their imprint on cultural setting of
these respective countries. As discussed in the contents of the paper the influences that Arabs had on
the locals vary in degree from one place to another. In Africa this association led to the emergence of
a new community ,culture and a new language Swahili. There are strong cultural similarities
acknowledged by the diverse peoples. They are matriarchal and family or clan oriented. They
observe the normal Islamic celebrations, but the various groups also have dances and festivals from
their Bantu cultural roots. They are traditional Sunni Muslims, mostly Shafiite on the East Africa
coast.

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In Malabar coast the association gave rise to a new community named as Mappilas , which means
Son in law. Like the Swahili people they follow the Shafi school of Islam and matrilineal kinship.
Their art forms and cuisine are very much influenced by the Arab connection. The dialect of
Malayalam spoken by them has many words borrowed from Arabic.

When it comes to the built form in both cases we can find adaptation from local architecture with
Arabic influences in subtle forms in terms of architectural elements and spaces to support the
functioning of a Muslim family. However we can find that the level of immersion of the Arab
influence is different in these two coasts. While in Africa we can see the Swahili culture spread all
along the coast and the language spreading widely, becoming one of the key identity of Africa today,
in Malabar coast we can now see that the influences that the Arabs had were more subtle in nature
with the local traditions, culture and language having a profound influence in the lives of Malabaris,
gradually overshadowing the former. The religion of Islam is still followed in the same form as it was
brought in by the Arabs but cultural penetration is less on Malabar coast as compared to the coast of
East Africa.

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9. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Arab Navigation in the Indian Ocean before the coming of Portuguese- G R Tibbets,
1911, Oriental translation Fund, Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britian and Ireland
History of Arab Navigation in the Indian Ocean-Anwar A. Aleem- Oceanography
Departent, University of Alexandria, Egypt.
Mappila Muslims of Kerala- a study of Islamic trends, 1976- Roland Miller, Orient
Logman
Swahili Origins: Swahili Culture and The Shunguwaya Phenomenon by James De
Vere Allen
Islam and the development of Kiswahili, Mwenda Mukuthuria, PhD Egerton
University, Kenya
Transport and Communication in India Prior to Steam Locomotion- Jean Deloche
Muslim Architecture of South India, Mehrdad Shekoohy,2006, Routledge,
WHC Nomination Documentation: Lamu Old Town, 2001

Arab- Islamic Cities: Building and Planning Principles, B.S.Hakim 1979

History of Arab Navigation in the Indian Ocean, Anwar A. Aleem, Oceanography

Department, University of Alexandria, Egypt

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