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Ancient texts describing trade conducted in the eastern Mediterranean region 3,000 years ago mention a kingdom named Ophir. According to the texts, the eastern Mediterranean received frequent shipments of rare woods, gems, and even exotic animals from Ophir. But where was Ophir located? Although historians are not completely certain, many believe that Ophir was somewhere in South Asia (present-day Pakistan or India), for several reasons.

Origin of the Goods

First, many goods traded by Ophir’s merchants seem to have come from South Asia. The goods included rare woods native to South Asia, as well as ivory from elephants, who were also typical inhabitants of South Asia. Archaeologists have uncovered evidence of ancient civilizations in South Asia that were remarkably wealthy and traded with many partners in different parts of the world.

Long Time Needed for Shipments

Second, records indicate that a voyage from Ophir to the eastern Mediterranean took a year and a half, a travel time consistent with the idea that Ophir was located in South Asia. Since its shipments took such a long time to reach the Mediterranean, Ophir must have been a considerable distance from the Mediterranean. Ophir could not have been located on the Arabian Peninsula or some nearby region. Ophir must have been a distant land, and its location in South Asia would have made it just that.

Similar Words

Third, the words used in ancient Mediterranean texts for some goods from Ophir, such as ivory and peacocks, are similar to words used for the same items in ancient South Asian languages. It is logical to think that when people of the ancient Mediterranean bought things they had never seen before, they borrowed the names of those items from the people who sold them.

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