Other lordship · The kingdom of Pagan under Narapatisithu · as at first light, 1 January 1200

Chindwin teak

Boats, palace timber and temple scaffolding want teak, and the nearest source is the Chindwin hills, floated down in rafts to the Irrawaddy.

The Chindwin mouth is where the river trade meets the Irrawaddy; Kalewa is where the road to the Kabaw valley and Manipur leaves the water; Mingin and Homalin are stages above. The reach above Kalewa is a claim at best, and the Kabaw valley has no evidence for either Pagan or Manipur before the fifteenth century (English Wikipedia, Kabaw Valley). Timber working is inferred from need.

Who he is

Title
Timber-cutters' headmen and the king's collectors on the Chindwin
Since
not known
Born
not known
Family
not known
Confidence
low

No source we could open dates a teak trade on the Chindwin for 1200; board and inference.

What it holds

  • The teak forests and the rafting
  • The ferries and stages on the river

How things stand that morning

Cut and floated on inference; no tax or tribute dated.

Places of note

  • Kalewa: The Myittha mouth; door to the Kabaw valley.
  • Homalin: Upper Chindwin stage.

Where the sources disagree

  • The campaign board entry kalewa: gazetteer centre of Kalewa township is 23.28, 94.52; the town lies at the Myittha mouth, about 23.20, 94.30 (board value used). The campaign board entry homalin-teak at 24.867, 94.917 used; gazetteer Homalin 24.92, 95.23 is the township centre.

Evidence: Inference.

"The campaign board" is OMNIA's working map. These notes record where its earlier claims were checked against the sources.

Primary sources for Kingdom of Pagan

Chronicles, registers, sagas and inscriptions written in or near 1200 that cover this entry. Each has its own page with editions, translations and where to read it.

Sources and studies

  1. English Wikipedia, Kabaw Valley

Last revised 4 November 2026. Published 4 November 2026. Suggest a correction on the OMNIA Discord.