Distinctive carved stone seals and standardized weights from the cities of the Indus Valley civilization have been found at Mesopotamian sites, indicating sustained contact between the two regions. Mesopotamian texts refer to a trading partner called Meluhha, widely associated with the Indus region, describing shipments of carnelian, ivory, and timber. Trade likely moved by sea along the Persian Gulf and through intermediary ports such as Dilmun. The Indus cities also developed a standardized system of weights that suggests regulated commercial practice.
Relevance to Trade History
This exchange is among the earliest documented examples of maritime trade connecting South Asia with the Middle East, prefiguring later Indian Ocean networks.
Read the full story in our article The Development of Markets in Ancient Societies.
Source: World History Encyclopedia — Indus Valley Civilization. See our Sources & Methodology page for how we select and verify references.