The incense trade route was an ancient network of major land and sea trading routes linking the Mediterranean world with eastern and southern sources of incense, spices and other luxury goods, stretching from Mediterranean ports across the Levant and Egypt through northeast Africa and Arabia, by both sea and land along the Red Sea, to India and beyond. These routes served as channels for trading goods such as Arabian frankincense and myrrh, Indian spices, precious stones, pearls, ebony, silk and fine textiles, and from the Horn of Africa rare woods, feathers, animal skins, Somali frankincense, gold and slaves. The incense land trade from South Arabia to the Mediterranean flourished between roughly the 3rd century BC and the 2nd century AD.
Facts
SignificanceA major channel for Arabian frankincense and myrrh, Indian spices, precious stones and fine textiles between the ancient Mediterranean world and southern Arabia, East Africa and India 1 Route TypeAncient overland and maritime trade route network 1 TerminiMediterranean ports across the Levant and Egypt, through Northeast Africa and Arabia, to India 1 Operational StatusHistoric, declined following the Persian Roman wars and later disruptions to South Arabian trade 1 Operational Status
Operational Status (category)Historic / Discontinued 1 Sources
1. Wikipedia: Incense Route (trade route)
WikipediaEarly history section, on the flourishing period of the South Arabia to Mediterranean incense tradeQuote, Early history section, on the flourishing period of the South Arabia to Mediterranean incense trade
The incense land trade from South Arabia to the Mediterranean flourished between roughly the 3rd century BC and the 2nd century AD.
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