gems, history of gemology, beads, India, Red Sea, glyptic, Indian lapidary

The excavations at Kamrej form part of the Indian Archaeological Society’s project History and Archaeology of Indian Ocean Trade, sponsored by the Indian Council of Historical Research. Preliminary findings indicate that Early Historic Kamrej functioned as an industrial center—engaged in iron production, shell crafting, bead making, and more—as well as a trading port with overseas connections to the Red Sea and Persian Gulf regions. Kamrej is believed to correspond to the settlement of Kammoni mentioned in the Periplus Maris Erythraei, a Greek maritime guide written in the first century AD.