From Dilmun to Wādī al‐Fāw: A forgotten desert corridor, c. 2000 BC

A previously unknown desert trade corridor linking the Kingdom of Dilmun on the Arabian Gulf coast with southern Saudi Arabia, likely extending to Yemen, was identified around 2000 BC. Contrary to assumptions about arid conditions in Bronze Age central Arabia, this study reveals a thriving commercial network supported by donkey trains, as evidenced by Dilmun seals, pottery, and unique burial practices at Wādī al‐Fāw. The discovery challenges existing models of cultural transmission across the region, suggesting significant linguistic, ideological, genetic, and technological exchanges during a period marked by unusually arid conditions. The research reconstructs the likely route based on archaeological evidence, including dry mummification mound burials that differ from classic Dilmun burial customs.

Laursen, S. T., & al‐Otaibi, F. (2022). From Dilmun to Wādī al‐Fāw: A forgotten desert corridor, c. 2000 BC. Arabian Archaeology and Epigraphy, 34(1), 63–86. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1111/aae.12221