Research in Iran-China Maritime TradeStudy sample: Najiroum historical port

The trade between the East and the West began via the Silk Road from the first century BC, and commercial goods, traditions, culture, and religious beliefs were exchanged between the civilizations of ancient China and the lands of the eastern Mediterranean. The Iranian Plateau, as a bridge between Eastern and Western civilizations, played an important role in this world trade. Along with the land routes and during the insecurity of the Silk Road, the waterways replaced the previous routes and the Persian Gulf became the link between the markets of ancient China and the more western lands. In the between, the historical ports of the Persian Gulf, especially unknown port of the Najirom, have played an important role. This historic port which is located in the sixty kilometers west of historic port of the Siraf and ten kilometers from the port city, has played an important role in maritime trade between the Iran and China from the Sassanid Period to the first centuries of Islamic Period. In the archeological exploration of Najirom Port in the spring of 2009, the distribution of cultural materials including pieces of turquoise, torpedo and sgrafito pottery among the architectural remains left in an area of three kilometers parallel to the coast, it announced the existence of a large population, industrial and commercial center.The identification of dozens of pieces of Chinese pottery such as Celadon, Changsha and Blue and White pottery and Chinese coins also indicated the extensive trade relations of the Iranians with ancient China from the Sassanid Period to the middle centuries of the Islamic Period. In this research, meanwhile, introducing the cultural materials belonging to the ancient Chinese dynasties in the historical port of Najirom, the position of this port in the maritime Silk Road and the Iran-China trade relations will be discussed.