Red Coral from Livorno to Hirado. British Early Trading Networks and Maritime Trajectories, c. 1570 to 1623

Throughout the history of Eurasian commercial contacts, the Mediterranean coral epitomizes one the few authentic, attractive and promising items European merchants could export to Asian markets, being valued both in the East and the West. Since the Roman times, it was appreciated by the Han dynasty among the products coming from Europe and western Asia, together with linen fabrics, wool, amber, pearls, and glass objects. In the early modern period, coral fishing and manufacturing increased all over the Mediterranean area. Meanwhile, undiscovered routes and mercantile networks developed to a great extent, opening the era of global interconnected exchanges. Coral trade encouraged once again the expectations of European brokers and entrepreneurs, dealing with the Levant, the Indian sub-continent and East Asia. At the same time, Livorno came to be one of the most important supplying centre for coral craftsmanship and trade, in competition with Genoa, Marseille, the ports of Sicily, Sardinia, Spain, and the Levant.