Sailing Around Erythraean Sea: Twenty

In the previous Section the unknown sailor had given us a glimpse into Nabatean Kingdom of Northwest area of Arabian continent and one of their fortified trading post, namely White Village. He is now stationed at White Village, modern day Al Ula, the port of which is Al Wajh. Continue to read:

Directly below this place is the adjoining country of Arabia in its length boardering a great distance on the Erethraean Sea. Different tribes inhabit the country, differing in their speech, some partially and some altogether. The land next to the sea is similarly dotted here and there with caves of the Fish-Eaters, but the country inland is peopled by rascally men speaking two languages, who live in villages and nomadic camps, by whom those sailing off the middle course are plundered, and those surviving the shipwrecks are taken for slaves. And so they too are taken prisoners by the chiefs and the kings of Arabia and they are called Carnaites. Navigation is very dangerous along this whole coast of Arabia, which is without harbours, with bad anchorages, foul, inaccessible because of breakers and rocks, and terrible in every way. Therefore we hold the course down the middle of the gulf and pass on as fast as possible by the country of Arabia until we come to the Burnt Island; directly below which there are regions of peaceful people, nomadic, pastures of cattle, sheep and camels 

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1. After White Village (Al Ula) a long coastal area is occupied by hunter-gatherer tribes who mainly depended on fish, and who lived in caves. Inland villages were occupied by pirates who plundered ships sailing off the middle course and  captured shipwrecked voyagers as slaves. These people were captured as slaves by chiefs of enemy tribes, called Carnaites. Etymological interpretation of the word  Carnaite is as follows:

Carnaite is a word of Greek  origin karnaitai, where karna means horn or promontory. Aitai is a suffix indicating people or tribe. Karna is also used to refer a vast region covering Quane (Bi'r Ali) of Yemen, Carnait island ( Socotra islands, Yemen) and the Horn of Africa. And the people who inhabit this region is called Carnaite. Bir' Ali is on the northern coast of Gulf of Aden, and opposite this is the Horn. Bir Ali means Ali's well. Amphore (wine jars) of first century CE were discovered here in an underwater excavation in 1988.

Burnt Island: Scholars propose various locations for Burnt Island.
1. Socotra Island, Yemen, due to its unique geography and ancient connections. There were large settlements of Indian traders from Sindh and Balochistan.
2. Abd al Kuri island near Socotra Island, with similar geographical features. It is a rocky island, and lies 105 kilometres southwest of Socotra island.
The Greek word used in original document to refer Socotra Island is "Kausmene" meaning burnt or scorched. The name may be derived from the volcanic activity or fires burning vegetation.

Excavations at Socotra Island had unearthed ancient pottery and coins. 
It is two hundred and forty kilometres east of Somalia.

End of the the Section 


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