Mottama

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Mottama
Mottama Location in Burma
Coordinates: 16°32′N 97°36′E / 16.533, 97.6
Country	Burma
Admin. division	Mon State
District	Thaton District
Government
- Mayor
Population (2005)
- Religions	Buddhism

Mottama, formerly known as Martaban, is a small town in the Thaton district of Mon State, in southern Myanmar. It is located on the right bank of the Salween River, on the opposite side of Mawlamyaing.

Mottama was the terminus of the road and the railroad from Yangon, where the Salween River empties into the Gulf of Martaban in the Andaman Sea. But, today Mawlamyaing Bridge has laid down a link from Mottama to Mawlamyaing and other city in the south Ye.

[edit] History

Mottama is believed to have been founded in A.D. 573 by the first king of Pegu. It was once the capital of the Talaing kingdom. It was a frequent trading spot in the 16th century for European explorers. A well known type of jars called "Pegu jars" were made here. It was captured by the British in 1824 and 1852.

[edit] Geography

The Ayeyarwady River and Salween River pour into the Bay of Martaban. Coordinates: 16°32′N, 97°36′E

[edit] Notes

• "Talaing" means "Telegu" race from India according to Dr. Naing Pan Hla's Mon History.
• "Mataban" means clay-pot in Arabic, therefore Arab traders might name the place as Mataban where they load the big clay pots to use as container of presentdays.