Indonesian historical development has witnessed the rise and fall of numerous kingdoms. Srivijaya (7th - 11th centuries) and Majapahit (13th - 15th centuries) are names that ring out over the passing ages as two of the greatest maritime empires the region has seen. They operated huge fleets that controlled the waters around them and used their maritime expertise to effectively manage the ocean's potential resources in order to reap optimal political, economic, social and cultural advantage and reward. The legacy of this great maritime heritage resounds until today; we can see the traces in the lifeways of ethnic groups in Nias, Mentawai, the Suku Laut of the Riau Islands, Bajau, Bugus, Maluku, Papua and many others. Marine life has coloured the way of life of many of the inhabitants of the Indonesian Archipelago, and still may be seen the modern role of shipping and trading. This legacy has resulted in the world's largest maritime nation. This book represents an attempt to capture some of that history and explain and interpret the significance of past maritime trading activities. It examines the maritime societies and cultures that emerged over the course of time, their trade networks, the cultural legacy and the traces that remain of the great maritime kingdoms. The book will lay out facts and data to demonstrate the extent of this great legacy, and draw on the oral histories, and documents left by the traders and sailors recounting those long off days. The book serves also as a tribute to those ancestors who opened up trade in agricultural and maritime produce, as well as artefacts that were brought into the region and linked the Indonesian peoples to the rest of the world. It is the hope of the authors that by reading this book people will regain something of the pride and sense of achievements of their forebears.