Arab Single-Masted Sailboat (Dhow)

Timeline

1. 1251–1260Aden–Hormuz route · Arabian SeaAfter the Mongol conquests disrupted the overland Silk Road, maritime trade volumes rose. Dhows departed from Aden in Yemen, passed through Oman to Hormuz in the Persian Gulf, then sailed south to India's west coast on the southwest monsoon, carrying pepper, cotton cloth, and gemstones.
2. 1254–1260Suez and Jeddah · Red SeaThe Mamluk regime controlled Egypt's Red Sea ports, with dhows carrying Hajj supplies to Mecca and importing Indian Ocean luxuries. The sultan imposed tariffs and vessel registration at Jeddah and Suez, incorporating maritime trade into state finances.
3. 1256–1260Kilwa · TanzaniaArab and Persian merchants arrived on the Swahili coast aboard dhows, using ports such as Kilwa as nodes to exchange gold, ivory, and Indian Ocean shell currency. Cofred-hull construction techniques enabled local craftsmen to repair and copy vessel types on site.