During the third millennium BC, the huge geographical area stretching
between the Mediterranean in the west and the Indus Valley in the east
witnessed the rise of a commercial network of unmatched proportions and
intensity, within which the Persian Gulf for long periods functioned as
a central node. In this book, Laursen and Steinkeller examine the nature
of cultural and commercial contacts between Babylonia, the Gulf region,
and Indus Civilization. Focusing on the third and early second millennia
BC, and using both archaeological data and the evidence of ancient
written sources, their study offers an up-to-date synthetic picture of
the history of interactions across this vast region. In addition to
giving detailed characterizations and evaluations of contacts in various
periods, the book also treats a number of important related issues, such
as the presence of Amorites in the Gulf (in particular, their role in
the rise of the Tilmun center on Bahrain Island); the alleged existence
of Meluhhan commercial outposts in Babylonia; and the role that the
seaport of Gu'abba played in Babylonia's interactions with the Gulf
region and southeastern Iran.