Introduction: An archaeological study of a Maldivian island

This chapter introduces the team’s work in the Maldives in the context of the broader objectives and rationale of the research project. It sets the scene by detailing the environment and features of a country that covers an area of over 90000 square kilometres yet comprises a landmass of less than 300 square kilometres. An overview is made of the historical and archaeological evidence for the networks in which the Maldives were involved. Existing accounts suggest that connections extended westwards to the Arabian and East African coastlines, involving Red Sea and Persian Gulf routes and from there reaching to the Mediterranean and West Africa. East and northeast, links were made with the Indian subcontinent, southeast Asia and possibly into China.