The island of Flores , comprising more than 14,000 square kilometres, is one of the largest islands in eastern Indonesia. Prior to the sixteenth century, it was inhabited by numerous linguistically distinct ethnic groups, who relied on subsistence economies and followed their native religions and cults. The island was not politically unified, and, as far as we know, was not involved in any trade-neither the spice trade going on in Malukku nor the sandal wood trade in Timor. Flores itself had no valuable trade goods, and the slave trade