Navigation and trading ports in early Persian Gulf

Abstract

History of navigation in early Persian Gulf was closely related to the long-distance maritime trade between China and Persian Gulf from the 8(th) to the 13(th) centuries.Nevertheless, this topic has been overlooked by Chinese historians over the past three decades. Based on the materials gleaned over the past few years while reading relevant Western works,this article examines the maritime ethnic groups,their navigation activities and maritime trade,as well as the trading ports in the Gulf.It is argued that the maritime civilization in ancient Persian Gulf was gradually formed by joint efforts and contributions made by a number of ethnic groups,especially the Phoenicians,Babylonians, Egyptians,Ethiopians,Persians and Arabs.In addition,a close inheritance connection between different maritime ethnic groups could clearly be observed.The decades following the 10(th) century witnessed two major changes.While the headquarters of foreign trade had once again been shifted to the Red Sea due to the decline of China trade,maritime trade between the Gulf and East African coast gradually entered a booming stage.

欲深入研究唐宋時期中國與波斯灣的海上貿易,不可不了解古代波斯灣的航海史.然而,近三十年來,這一課題幾乎為學術界所忽略.本文擬根據筆者近年來閱讀西方文獻時所做的筆記,對公元13世紀前波斯灣的航海民族、航海活動、以及貿易港埠等情況做一番勾勒和梳理.本文指出,古代波斯灣的航海文明是由眾多民族共同創造的,其中以腓尼基人、巴比倫人、埃及人、印度人、埃塞俄比亞人、波斯人和阿拉伯人為著.不僅如此,各航海民族在航海文明方面有著密切的傳承關系.公元10世紀后,波斯灣地區的海外貿易出現了兩個方面重心的轉移.隨著中國與波斯灣海上貿易的衰落,波斯灣地區的貿易重心再一次地遷往紅海,與此同時,波斯灣與東非海岸之間的貿易開始興盛.