Review by Choice Review
An ambitious survey of trade in emerging states in southeast Asia during the first 14 centuries of the Christian era. Hall identifies the origins and growth of various kingdoms and fiefdoms, using many of the tools of economic history, new epigraphical and archaeological materials, and much conjecture. The result is a heavily laden construct of the evolving states as economic entities. For example, Hall sees the Cham state of Lin-yi as emerging in the fifth century because it had evolved ``a loose balance between its wet-rice economy and its participation in the external realm of international trade.'' Often more important cultural features, such as religion and social hierarchy, either are not considered or mentioned merely in passing. This book presents much new information and should be of use to advanced students in the early history of southeast Asia, but frequent references to the work and theories of other specialists make it very difficult for most undergraduates.-W.P. Strauss, Oakland University
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
