Since March of 2018 I have been studying the trade relationship between Ancient Rome and Ancient India via a 9.5 inch (24 cm) ivory statuette that was crafted in India and found in the ruins of Pompei in 1938. It is housed in the "Secret Cabinet" of the Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli.
After obtaining my Master’s in May 2019, I presented the material at the 25th Annual European Association of Archaeologists' Conference in Bern in September 2019, and now we are preparing a book for Routledge called "Globalization and Transculturality from Antiquity to the Pre-Modern World," with about 17 authors.
In January 2020, just before COVID swept the world, I went to India for the 4th time, but this time to follow the trail of "my" statue - and to visit her "sisters," comparanda that have been found since her discovery that have helped scholars understand more about where she came from, modern-day Maharashtra, and the dynasty under which she was made, the Satavahana.
Aside meeting one of the key Indian archaeologists involved in securing her probable provenance and creation date, another highlight of my trip was visiting the port where she was probably shipped from, in modern-day Gujarat. It is a sleepy, quiet place today, with just a little boat taking locals back and forth across the Narmada river, but 2000 years ago Barygaza was one of the two main ports from India going west to Arabia and Egypt, and noted for ivory export. As a filmmaker as well as historian, I could not help but conjure a recreation of the hustle and bustle of international trade that went on here, 2000 years ago!
In August 2020 I received permission to enter the closed-to-the-public house at Pompei where the statuette was found - as far as I can determine, no scholars have been there since the 1990's, and it was very exciting, as one of my goals is to learn more about the owner.
In Spring 2022 I obtained access to the store-rooms in Pompei where the other items found in the same Pompei house are kept - I found some curious objects (maybe also from India?), and I am trying to unravel their secrets. I also went back into my closed-to-the-public house to do some research on the painting in the owner’s office aka “tablinum.” I spoke at an Indian Ocean World conference at the University of Exeter.
In 2023 I spoke at the Archaeology Museum in Naples where the statue is held (sorry, it is in Italian!) https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=qlomcONWuUs
And in 2024 I went back to India for the 5th time and finally “met” the sister statue!
While I keep prodding to learn more about this unique statue, the major physical evidence of the masses of Indian imports to the Roman empire, 2000 years ago, I have also developed a visually arresting Zoom lecture that I have been happily sharing with schools, museums and other curious folks worldwide. I have also lectured in India!
And here is a 40-minute podcast that published August, 2021
https://podfollow.com/the-ancients/episode/d6c831eef21560054b213188d31a967500741c2a/view
Our book came out September, 2021. I am Chapter 9 https://www.routledge.com/Globalization-and-Transculturality-from-Antiquity-to-the-Pre-Modern-World/Autiero-Cobb/p/book/9780367560553
direct link: https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9781003096269-13/indian-figurine-pompeii-emblem-east-west-trade-early-roman-imperial-era-laura-weinstein
