Portuguese settlement in Mumbai region, India: territorial occupation throughout structural remains (16th-18th centuries)

Summary

Most parts of Greater Mumbai belonged to Portugal between 1534 and 1739, except for the island of Bombay, handed over to the British in 1665. The territory of Bassein, the ancient capital of this region, was the first settlement of Estado da Índia to occupy a significant area.

The Portuguese enjoyed territorial stability during its first century in Bassein. This favoured the Portuguese annexation of land through the incorporation of pre-existing structures, the application of solutions used in other Asian cities and creating original methods of appropriating rural areas.

In this paper we intend to bring light to the Portuguese occupation of Bassein through the study of primitive villages, churches and forts established under Portuguese rule and which remain hidden at Great Mumbai. This research is part of a project which intended to comprehend the origins of this Indian metropolis. It included both structural settings and investigation of written sources.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Territory, settlement and material culture in the Iberian colonial empires (16-18th centuries)   •
• Society for Historical Archaeology 2013

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Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

Record Identifiers

PaperId(s): 365