MARTABAN

martaban, a town in the thaton district of lower burma, on the right bank of the salween, opposite moulmein. it is said to have been founded in a.d. 573, by the first king of pegu, and was once the capital of a powerful talaing kingdom; but it is now little more than a village. martaban is frequently mentioned by european voyagers of the 16th century; and it has given the name of "martavans" to a class of large vessels of glazed pottery, also known in india as "pegu jars." it was twice captured by the british, in 1824 and 1852. the bay of martaban receives the rivers irrawaddy and salween.