Siraf

Infobox Settlement
official_name = PAGENAME
native_name =


imagesize =
image_caption =


image_



map_caption =
pushpin_

pushpin_label_position =bottom
pushpin_mapsize = 300
pushpin_map_caption =Location in Iran
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_type1 = Province
subdivision_name =‎
subdivision_name1 = Bushehr Province
subdivision_type2 =
subdivision_name2 =
established_title =
established_date =
government_type =
leader_title =
leader_name =
area_magnitude =
area_total_sq_mi =
area_total_km2 =
area_land_sq_mi =
area_land_km2 =
area_urban_sq_mi =
area_urban_km2 =
area_metro_km2 =
area_metro_sq_mi =
population_as_of=
population_footnotes =
population_total =
population_urban =
population_metro =
population_density_sq_mi =
population_density_km2 =
timezone =
utc_offset =
timezone_DST =
utc_offset_DST =
latd=27|latm=39|lats=|latNS=N
longd=52|longm=20|longs=|longEW=E
elevation_footnotes=
elevation_m =
elevation_ft =
postal_code_type =
postal_code =
area_code =
website =
footnotes =

Siraf (also called Bandar-e Si-raf, Ta-hiri, Taheri, Bandar-i Tahiri) [cite web
url=http://archnet.org/library/places/one-place.tcl?place_id=8205
title=Siraf
publisher=Archnet.org
accessdate=2007-01-21] was a legendary ancient Sassanid port, destroyed around 970 AD,cite book
first=Luce
last=Boulnois
year=2005
title=Silk Road: Monks, Warriors & Merchants
edition=
publisher=Odyssey Books
location=Hong Kong
pages=p. 68
id=ISBN 962-217-721-2] which was located on the north shore of the Persian Gulf in what is now the Iranian province of Bushehr. Its ruins are approximately 220 km east of Bushire and 380 km west of Bandar Abbas. [cite web
url=http://www.sirafcongress.ir/index.html
title=Siraf
publisher=sirafcongress
accessdate=2006-12-11 ] Siraf controlled three ports: Bandar-e-Taheri, Bandar-e-Kangan and Bandar-e-Dayer. [cite web
url=http://www.tebyan.net/index.aspx?pid=40141
title=Ancient Cities and Archaeological Hills, Bushehr
publisher=
accessdate=2007-07-31] The Persian Gulf was used as a shipping route between the Arabian Peninsula and India over the Arabian Sea. Small boats, such as dhows, could also make the long journey by staying close to the coast and keeping land in sight. [cite web
url=http://www.saudiaramcoworld.com/issue/200504/the.seas.of.sindbad.htm
title=The Seas of Sindbad
publisher=
accessdate=2006-12-11 ]

History

According to David Whitehouse, one of the first archeologists to excavate the ancient ruins of Siraf, marine trade between the Persian Gulf and Far East lands began to flourish at this port because of the vast expansion of trade in consumer goods and luxury items at the time. The first contact between Siraf and China occurred in 185 AD and by the 4th century it was a busy port. However, over time trade routes shifted to the Red Sea and Siraf was forgotten. [cite web
url=http://www.chnpress.com/news/?section=2&id=5938
title=Siraf, a Legendary Ancient Port
publisher=Cultural Heritage News Agency
accessdate=2006-12-11 ]

The historical importance of Siraf to ancient trade is only now being realized. Discovered there in past archaeological excavations are ivory objects from east Africa, pieces of stone from India, and lapis from Afghanistan. Siraf dates back to the Parthian era. [cite web
url=http://www.chnpress.com/news/?Section=2&id=5935
title=Foreign Experts Talk of Siraf History
publisher=Cultural Heritage News Agency]

David Whitehouse also found evidence that the earliest mosque at Siraf dates to the 9th century and are remains from the Parthian and Sassanid eras. He found ruins of a congregational mosque surrounded by many smaller mosques. [cite web
url=http://archnet.org/library/dictionary/entry.tcl?entry_id=DIA0850&mode=full
title=Siraf
publisher=archnet.org
accessdate=2007-01-21] There are ruins of the luxurious houses of extremely rich traders whose made their wealth through the port's success. [cite web
url=http://www.iranian.ws/iran_news/publish/article_10937.shtml
title=Siraf, a Legendary Ancient Port
publisher=Iranian News
accessdate=2007-01-21] Siraf served an international clientele of merchants including those from South India ruled by the Western Chalukyas dynasty who were feasted by wealthy local merchants during business visits. An indicator of the Indian merchants' importance in Siraf comes from records describing dining plates reserved for them. Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.