ASNS2661 Final: Oc-Eo

• School: University of Sydney
• Department: Asian Studies
• Course: ASNS2661
• Professor: all

Document Summary

The most likely explanation for funan"s success relative to other competitive harbours on the gulf was its advantage of agricultural lands in proximity to a maritime route. Funan was located where an indentation in the coast brought the waters of the gulf closest to the. Mekong river, creating large deposits of fertile soil. An elaborate hydraulic system enabled funan"s population to drain salt water out of the land, allowing the population to produce up to three rice harvests annually producing enough surplus to easily feed foreign merchants resident in oc-eo. This capability drew long-distance traders to its ports. Aerial photographs of oc-eo reveal a large network of man made waterways more than 100km long, which served as drainage and irrigation channels and facilitated trade with indochina. Waterways in the oc-eo region seem to have run from north-northeast to south-southwest, following the general gentle slope of the terrain.