Imagined Geographies: The Maritime Silk Roads in World History, 100–1800

A pioneering work in the study of history and geography of the pre-1800 world.

Imagined Geographies is a pioneering work in the study of the history and geography of the pre-1800 world. In this book, Geoffrey C. Gunn argues that different regions astride the maritime silk roads were not merely interconnected waterways, but also “imagined geographies.” Here he examines five such geographic imaginaries, specifically Indian, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, and European including an imagined Great South Land. Drawing upon an array of marine and other archaeological examples, he offers compelling evidence of the intertwining of political, cultural, and economic regions across the sea silk roads from ancient times until the seventeenth century. By taking a broader civilizational approach, Gunn goes beyond simple national history and places the maritime realm within a greater spatial perspective to offer a decentered world regional history. This book will interest history lovers from all around the world who want to know more about how their forebears viewed their respective regions and how their region fits into world history with local uniqueness.