The Indonesian archipelago formed the heart of the global spice trade. Whilst the Moluccas to the east, known as the ‘Spice Islands’, were the home of nutmeg and cloves, Java and Sulawesi played key strategic roles.
Java: Historically served as the administrative and logistical centre. Java’s ports (such as what later became Batavia/Jakarta) controlled the trade routes and served as the main transhipment centres where the precious cargoes were gathered for onward transport to Europe.
Sulawesi (formerly Celebes): Lies directly to the west of the Moluccas. The port city of Makassar (Ujung Pandang) in the south of Sulawesi was one of the most important free trade ports in South-East Asia, where traders from a wide variety of cultures exchanged spices, foodstuffs and maritime routes.
All photographs were taken in 1990.