Copper trade between Dilmun and Mesopotamia
daring the millennium BC
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.65074/vj8z8592Keywords:
Trade; Dilmun; Ships; Cuneiform Texts; CopperAbstract
This study highlights the critical role of copper trade in the economic and cultural relations between Dilmun and Mesopotamia during the third millennium BCE. Owing to its strategic location, Dilmun acted as a key intermediary between copper-producing Magan (modern Oman) and metal-deficient Mesopotamia, contributing significantly to regional trade networks.
Sumerian and Akkadian texts consistently identify Dilmun as a source of copper and a land of prosperity and ritual purity. Archaeological evidence, such as copper-smelting facilities, indicates that Dilmun engaged not only in trade but also in copper processing and redistribution.
Advancements in maritime technology enabled sustained Gulf trade, facilitating the flow of goods and fostering the exchange of metallurgical knowledge, nautical skills, and administrative practices. Thus, copper trade served as a foundation for both economic integration and cultural interaction in the ancient Near East.
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