The Oman Peninsula and the Gulf Trade of the Early Third Millennium BCE

Little is known about the exchange along the Arab-Persian Gulf during the earlier part of the third millennium BCE. This article will discuss the modes of transport involved, the goods that were traded and the agents participating in this trade during that period. Special attention will be given to the archaeological record of Eastern Arabia and its role in this exchange. It will be demonstrated that people from the Oman Peninsula not only possessed rich, sought-after copper resources, but also had the means and knowledge necessary for open water sailing. Thus, they were likely candidates to be active agents in these long-distance networks.