Magan (civilization)
Magan (Sumerian Ma - ganki, Assyrian Ma -kan, Ma -ka -an, Akkadian ma -kan -nu -u, ma -ak -ka -ni - tum; spoken well Makkan ) is the name for the area of present-day Oman. Due to the location description Gudea the Oman region could be identified quickly, " rock islands in the southern bulge ( the Persian Gulf ) ." So far Maništušu is the only occupied king who Magan entered in connection with a campaign and there fought against an alliance of " Men from 32 cities". He moved with his army to the " precious metal studs " before and then allowed his image of " black stone " make.
Magan carried the nickname " Copper Mountain " and " mountain tunnels Product " and stood in antiquity for trade between Mesopotamia and the Indus Valley represents an important stopover
Trade relations
The land owned by its copper mining a special meaning in the former trading system, since copper is required for the production of bronze. At the height of the copper production between 2200 BC and 1900 BC to have been sponsored from 2000 to 4000 tons of copper. In addition, from Magan, you still gabbro and diorite were exported. So reports Gudea on the import of diorite from Magan for making statues. The trade was settled with ships that had a loading capacity of up to 20 t.
Bitumen residues as fragments from sealants, which are more than 3000 years older than those in Ra's al - Jins in Oman ( 2400-2300 BC) found, archaeologists in as- Sabiyah (Kuwait) have discovered. In a Neolithic village at the edge of a lagoon, they found next to the expected Arab artefacts including those of the Mesopotamian Ubaid culture. Presumably there existed a dock for Mesopotamian merchants. There is some evidence that the ceramics of Obed, which was found along the Arabian Peninsula to Bahrain, Qatar, and on the other shore of the Persian Gulf, over the sea and is not transported by land.
The 30 bitumen fragments have as from Oman impressions of reeds and ropes on one side and crustaceans on the other side. In as- Sabiyah there was also the clay model of a ship. It is only a few inches tall. On closer inspection you can see reed bundles that are tied together and gathered at the stern and bow, as well as a smooth surface in the middle, perhaps reed mats. All in all, the boat on all the characteristics of Magan ships.
In addition, archaeologists found a potsherd showing a ship of similar shape to the model. In the center, two masts collect, connected with a rope. The same poles in the same position - apparently this was the only solution to make a reed boat in its lightweight design could carry the sail, found himself on a Statit - squares of Mohenjodaro on the Indus.
If a lot is known about the commercial importance of Magan, the knowledge of the political organization of the country are low. But it seems at least a principality or kingdom to have given since Naram -Sin of Akkad around 2200 BC by a victory over " Mani [ to ], lord of Magan " reports.
Around 1800 BC Magan lost with the demise of the Indus civilization and the end of direct trade links to Mesopotamia its meaning. Although further copper was mined and exported, but moved Dilmun / Bahrain now the interim trading itself. At this time Magan disappears from the Sumerian sources. One reason was probably that the demand for copper Mesopotamia was increasingly being met from Cyprus.