Ports and Stops on the

Maritime Incense Route

 

Cane
Aden

Muza
Berinece

Philotera
Myos Hormos
Leuce Kome
Alia

Hawara

Gryn

Ayl
Rekem, (Petra)

Sela

Wadi Arabah

Wadi Fiqreh

Obodat

Ruheiba

Elusa

Gaza (Jenysos)
Alexandria

Further Information

Who were the ancient Arab Sea Traders?

Southern Arabia

Ancient Sailing and Navigation

History & Construction of the Dhow

Camels

Parallel Maritime Histories

The Incense Road

 Wadi Arabah

A wadi is a dry river bed or valley. Wadi Arabah is one of the larger wadi's in the Middle East. It extends 165 km north from Aqaba to the Dead Sea. From Here on it is known as the Ghor, which includes not only the Dead Sea but also the Jordan Valley all the way to the Sea of Galilee.

Very little is know about the state of archaeological in the Arabah Valley. A preliminary reconnaissance was done in the south east. (Southeast Arabah Archaeological Reconnaissance - SAAR). Of interest to our topic is the archeological dig at Moyet Awad (Moa in the Arabah), on the Sela - Gaza road, that found coins, pottery, a caravan station, but no houses. The Arabah was generally considered too harsh for towns or villages to develop.