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Why was Dilmun in modern Bahrain an important trading centre?
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history of Arabia
The Khazneh (“Treasury”), Nabataean ruins at Petra, Jordan.
Dilmun, an ancient kingdom centered on Bahrain Island, served as a vital commercial hub in the Persian Gulf due to its strategic role as a transshipment point for trade between Sumer and the Indus Valley.1
By the Isin-Larsa period (c. 2000–1794 BCE), Dilmun functioned as the primary entrepôt for merchants traveling between Mesopotamia and the Indus region. The island facilitated the exchange of a wide variety of goods:23
- Exports to Mesopotamia: Dilmun shipped copper, pearls, precious stones, stone beads, dates, and vegetables.1
- Imports from Mesopotamia: In return, Dilmun received agricultural products, silver, tin, woolen textiles, and grains.12
Archaeological evidence, such as the discovery of Indus-type chert weights, distinctive round steatite stamp seals, and the site of Qal‘at al-Bahrain, confirms the island's long-standing prominence as a center for international maritime trade.123