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'Siraf' (also called Bandar-e Si-raf, Ta-hiri, Taheri, Bandar-i Tahiri)^[1] was a legendary ancient Sasanid port located on the north shore of the Persian Gulf in what is now the Iranian province of Bushehr. Its ruins are approximately 220 km east of Bushire and 380 km west of Bandar Abbas.^[2] Siraf controlled three ports: Bandar-e-Taheri, Bandar-e-Kangan and Bandar-e-Dayer.^[3] The Persian Gulf was used as a shipping route between the Arabian Peninsula and India over the Arabian Sea. Small boats, such as dhows, could also make the long journey by staying close to the coast and keeping land in sight.^[4]

Contents

History

Notes

References

External links

History

Hejira, Baghdad was the capital of the Arab world in 145 AD, and cities in the Fertile Crescent were the main consumers of traded goods. According to David Whitehouse, one of the first archeologists to excavate the ancient ruins of Siraf, marine trade between the Persian Gulf and Far East lands began to flourish at this port because of the vast expansion of trade in consumer goods and luxury items at the time. The first contact between Siraf and China occurred in 185 AD and by the 4th century it was a busy port. However, over time trade routes shifted to the Red Sea and Siraf was forgotten.^[5]
The historical importance of Siraf to ancient trade is only now being realised. Discovered there in past archaeological excavations are ivory objects from east Africa, pieces of stone from India, and lapis from Afghanistan. Siraf dates back to the Parthian era.^[6]
David Whitehouse also found evidence that the earliest mosque at Siraf dates to the 9th century and are remains from the Parthian and Sassanid eras. He found ruins of a congregational mosque surrounded by many smaller mosques.^[7] There are ruins of the luxurious houses of extremely rich traders whose made their wealth through the port's success.^[8]
Siraf served an international clientele of merchants including those from South India ruled by the Western Chalukyas dynasty who were feasted by wealthy local merchants during during business visits. An indicator of the Indian merchants' importance in Siraf comes from records describing dining plates reserved for them.

Notes

1. Siraf
2. Siraf
3. Ancient Cities and Archaeological Hills, Bushehr

4. The Seas of Sindbad
5. Siraf, a Legendary Ancient Port
6. Foreign Experts Talk of Siraf History
7. Siraf
8. Siraf, a Legendary Ancient Port
9. World Famous Archaeologists Attend Siraf Conference

References

★ Nilakanta Sastri, K.A. (1955). A History of South India, OUP, New Delhi (Reprinted 2002) ISBN 0-19-560686-8.

External links

★ The Seas of Sindbad

★ Photos of Siraf ruins

★ Internation Congress of Siraf Port

★ Old World Trade Routes