Sailing Around ErythraeanSea Twenty Four

In the previous para we have seen the city of Zafar, Yemen. 

The present para further elaborate on Muza.
The Market-town Muza is without harbour, but has good roadstead and anchorage because of the sandy bottom thereabouts, where the anchors hold safely. The merchandise imported there consists of purple cloths, both fine and coarse; clothing in the Arabian style with sleeves; plain, ordinary, embroidered or interwoven with gold; saffron, sweet rush, muslins, cloaks, blankets (not many), some plain and others made in local fashion; sashes of different colours, fragrant ointments in moderate quantity, wine and wheat, not much. For the country produces in moderate amount, and a great deal of wine. And to the king and chief are given horses, and sumpter-mules (mules used to carry loads), vessels of gold and polished silver, finely woven clothing and copper vessels. There are exported from the same place the things produced in the country: selected myrrh, and the  stacte, alabaster and all things already mentioned from Avalites and the far-side coast. The voyage to this place is made best, about the month of September, that is Thoth; but there is nothing to prevent it even earlier.

My Search:-

1. Muza is Mocha, or Al Mukha on the eastern coast of Red Sea, Northwest of Aden and southwest of Sana'a.

2. Gebanite-Minaean: The area around modern day Qana is called Gabenite; and the southern coastal region is called Minaean. Gabenites were an ancient Arabian tribe, possibly related to Sabeans mentioned in ancient texts. Minaeans were another ancient Arabian tribe mentioned in Strabo's Geography.

The Gabenite-Minaean region traded with Egypt, Nabataea, India and East Africa. 

3. Stacte is Myrr resin mixed with other aromatic substances. It was used in perfumes.

4. Alabaster was a mineral sourced from Egypt, particularly from Theban region, and also from Arabia. It is used for decorative purposes in vessels and sculptures.

5. Avalites is modern day Zeila or Sylac in Somaliland, a historical port town.

End of the Section 

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