Maritime Ryukyu
1050 to 1650
Book •
In 'Maritime Ryukyu, 1050 to 1650', Gregory Smits examines the maritime networks, trade practices, and seafaring communities that shaped Ryukyu history during the medieval and early modern periods.
The book highlights the centrality of trade, piracy (wako), and regional connections across the East China Sea in forming Ryukyuan political and economic structures.
Smits uses archaeological evidence and documentary records to challenge insular narratives of Ryukyuan development and to demonstrate sustained interaction with Korea, Japan, and China.
The study documents how maritime activities contributed to the rise of early political centers and the eventual consolidation of power in Okinawa.
It is presented as an essential scholarly foundation for understanding Ryukyu's role in regional maritime networks.
The book highlights the centrality of trade, piracy (wako), and regional connections across the East China Sea in forming Ryukyuan political and economic structures.
Smits uses archaeological evidence and documentary records to challenge insular narratives of Ryukyuan development and to demonstrate sustained interaction with Korea, Japan, and China.
The study documents how maritime activities contributed to the rise of early political centers and the eventual consolidation of power in Okinawa.
It is presented as an essential scholarly foundation for understanding Ryukyu's role in regional maritime networks.
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Gregory Smits
Gregory Smits, "The Ryukyu Islands: A New History from the Stone Age to the Present" (U Chicago Press, 2026)
Mentioned by ![undefined]()
Gregory Smits
Gregory Smits, "The Ryukyu Islands: A New History from the Stone Age to the Present" (U Chicago Press, 2026)
