Hamidreza Peighambari

In the late third millennium BCE, the Persian Gulf and its surrounding regions—particularly Dilmun, Marḫaši, Magan, and Meluḫḫa —gained significant prominence in the royal inscriptions, economic records, and literary texts of Mesopotamia. These sources highlight the wealth and power of the region’s inhabitants and underscore the establishment of dynamic trade networks, alongside efforts to exert control over these areas. This research, conducted using a descriptive-analytical approach, aims first to outline the historical geography of the region. By analyzing historical documents alongside archaeological evidence, it explores then the factors behind the region's renown and strategic importance. The findings indicate that terrestrial trade routes became increasingly unsafe and disrupted during this period due to ongoing wars and hostilities between Mesopotamia, Elam, and their allies. Consequently, merchants shifted to maritime trade routes to access goods from the Iranian plateau and the Indus Valley. Despite the challenges and dangers of seafaring, the significant economic advantages it offered drew the interest of Sumerian and Akkadian rulers. This study concludes that the wealth and fame of these intermediary regions stemmed largely from their pivotal role in facilitating Persian Gulf trade.