The Asian Sea-Trading Network,
c. 1500 
nThe trading network stretched from the Middle East and Africa to East Asia and was divided into three main zones.
qAn Arab division in the west offered glass, carpet, and tapestry manufacturing.
qIn the center was India and its cotton textiles.
qChina, in the east, manufactured paper, porcelain, and silk textiles.
qSecondary regions in Japan, Southeast Asia, and East Africa supplied raw materials.
nAmong the latter were ivory from Africa and spices from Sri Lanka and Indonesia.