Hubs and Spokes of Ancient Arabia

Dated to the pre-Islamic period, there are a variety of coastal structures on the Arabian Peninsula which include rocky outcrops, natural harbours, caves, lighthouses, shrines, and human settlements. Some of these are built structures and some are natural geographical formations with evidence of human presence and use since as early as the 2^nd century BCE. Keeping in view their proximity to the ocean, the sites and structures can be understood as being located on ancient routes of travel, both inland and across the ocean, and as nodal points which may have interlinked the coasts to the interiors.

The location of the man-made structures on the coastline suggests their relevance as safe landing places and navigational markers for the sailing communities to help them steer safely to the shore. Many of these are marked by shrines probably built for protection at sites which may have been considered dangerous to navigate. They thus emerge as sites of cultural encounters and social cohesion for sailors and travellers underscoring the dynamism and cosmopolitanism of the ancient Indian Ocean world. They may help provide a glimpse into the lives of ancient travellers, their belief systems, their adventures in the oceanic waters and their hardships traversing the vast Arabian deserts.

The sites are now preserved as cultural, archaeological and ecological treasures by individual nation states and some are even listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.