Sailing Around Erythraean Sea: Eight

Updated 02/11/2024

In the last Section, at Zula (ancient Avalites) the unknown sailor had been giving an account of imports and exports into and out of ports around Zula. Lret us see his further course:

After Avalites there is another market-town, better than this, called Malao distant a sail of about eight hundred stadia. The anchorage is an open roadstead, sheltered by a spit running out from the east. Here the natives are more peaceable. There are imported into this place the things already mentioned, and many tunics, cloaks from Arsinoe, dressed and dyed; drinking cups, sheets of soft copper in small quantity, iron and gold and silver coins, not much. There are exported from these places myrrh, a little frankincense (that is known as far-side), the harder cinnamon, duaca, Indian copal, and macir, which are imported into Arabia; and slaves, but rarely.

Notes:-
1. Malao: A coastal town in Eritrea; in Semien-ki-Bahri region known for its beaches and historic port. Now it is called Berbera, on the upper base of the Horn of Africa.

2. Roadstead: A roadstead is a safe anchorage where ships can anchor, often in a natural or sheltered location, providing protection from harsh weather conditions.

3. Arsinoe: Ancient port city founded by Ptolemy II in 281 BCE, located on the Mediterranean coast of Egypt. It is modern day El-Gharb or Port Said, on the western shore of Manzala Lake.

4. Myrrh: Commiphora molmol is a plant based resin. Native to Middle East, North Africa and India. It is used in traditional medicines, perfume, in religious rituals, and in embalming to preserve bodies. The resin is extracted through incision of bark.

5. Duaca: Not identified 

6. Indian Copal: Also known as Copal resin or Dhupa is a natural resin extracted from trees in the family of 
Burseraceae. Used in Hindu rituals and Buddhist ceremony; and also in unani medicines.

End of the Section 

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