← Explore on the interactive map

Expansion of Oman's Maritime Trade Network

Type Event Region West Asia Time 1391–1400

In the 1390s, Omani port cities, especially Muscat and Sohar, served as key transshipment hubs in the Hormuz–Indian Ocean trade system, with Omani sa…

Timeline

  1. 1391–1395Muscat · OmanUnder the Nabhani dynasty, Muscat harbor used the natural bay of the Gulf of Oman as a transshipment point for Persian Gulf ships heading into the Indian Ocean; port tariffs and ship repair brought steady income to local rulers.
  2. 1394–1398Sohar · OmanSohar, a traditional northern Omani trading port, complemented Hormuz: the former handled overland transshipment, the latter controlled the entrance to the Persian Gulf. Merchant guilds of the two places shipped inland West Asian goods via Omani routes to Gujarat and the Malabar Coast of India.
  3. 1396–1400Indian Ocean · Indian OceanOmani navigators used monsoon patterns, sailing to Kilwa and Sofala in East Africa during the southwest monsoon and to Calicut and Cochin in India during the northeast monsoon. Frankincense, myrrh, and Indian Ocean pearls were the main exchange goods.

Sources