Ali Rasoli

Historical texts and archeological finds from ancient times indicate that the Persian Gulf played an important role in trade relations and trade exchanges between the ancient cities and habitats of Iran with South Asia and Eastern Africa. Therefore, the coastal lands and hinterlands of the Persian Gulf, seems remarkable and attractive, not only historically and archaeologically, but also in terms of social studies and understanding of Iranian civilization. Hinterlands, meanwhile, provide researchers with valuable information about the course of historical and political developments and past events. Tang-i Eram region is one of these areas, which is located in the north of the Persian Gulf, and the existence of significant historical monuments raises the question of what was its exact role in ancient Iran. The results of this research, which has been done by documentary and field reasearches and by descriptive-analytical method, show that hinterlands generally as a supplier of row materials as well as a route for the exchange of comodities between central regions and the ports have played a prominent role in the maritime trade of Persian Gulf, and the Tang-i Eram region had a communicational and economic importance between northern Persian Gulf ports and inland. This region was also a place for local governors’ residence or an esplanade for Persian Nobels and princes. This historical role is confirmed by both positional and environmental reasons as well as historical and archaeological data.