Persian Gulf The main route of Maritime Trade between the Indus and Mesopotamia Civilizations in the third millennium BC1

Over the past few decades, clear perspectives have emerged on the relationship between Indian and Mesopotamian civilization. Archaeological research reveals a number of trade routes, including sea and land routes, that connected Indian civilization to the Mesopotamian region via Iran, particularly the Persian Gulf and southeastern Iran. Although overland routes were the most important communication network in the first half of the third millennium BC, it seems that in the second half of the third millennium BC, maritime trade routes replaced overland routes, linking Indian civilization with Persian Gulf communities. This article pursues two goals: First, it assesses the importance of the Persian Gulf as a major route for long-distance trade between East and West. Second: shows the possible function of Lian (Bushehr) as an intermediary port on the shores of the Persian Gulf.