In those days, Arabs and Turks used to work as business men and merchants between India, the Middle East, and Europe. Europeans had no direct land or sea link with India.
Just one caveat: In the 1st Century AD, there was regular ship service from the Roman province of Egypt to Roman trading colonies on the west coast of India.
319 posted on 02/14/2005 11:51:52 AM PST by Modernman
("Normally, I don't listen to women, or doctors." - Captain Hero)