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Makran
Makran (), also mentioned in some sources as ''Mecran'' and ''Mokrān'', is the southern coastal region of Balochistan. It is a semi-desert coastal strip in the Balochistan province in Pakistan and in Iran, along the coast of the Gulf of Oman. It extends westwards, from the Sonmiani Bay to the northwest of Karachi in the east, to the fringes of the region of Bashkardia/Bāšgerd in the southern part of the Sistan and Baluchestan province of modern Iran. Makrān is thus bisected by the modern political boundary between Pakistan and Iran. In January 2025, a government spokesperson informed that Iran is investigating the possibility of moving its capital to the Makran region. Etymology The southern part of Balochistan is called ''Kech Makran'' on the Pakistani side and Makran on the Iranian side which is also the name of a former Iranian province. The location corresponds to that of the Maka satrapy in Achaemenid times. The Sumerian trading partners of Magan are identified wit ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Seleucid–Mauryan War
The Seleucid–Mauryan War was a confrontation between the Seleucid and Mauryan empires that took place somewhere between 305 and 303 BCE, when Seleucus I Nicator of the Seleucid Empire crossed the Indus river into the former Indian satrapies of the Macedonian Empire, which had been conquered by Emperor Chandragupta Maurya of the Maurya Empire. The confrontation resulted in a dynastic marriage-alliance between Seleucus and Chandragupta, the gift of war elephants to Seleucus, and the transferring of control over the Indus Valley region and (possibly) part of Afghanistan to Chandragupta. The alliance freed Seleucus to turn his attention toward his rivals in the west, while Chandragupta secured control over the areas that he had sought, the Maurya Empire emerging as the dominant power of the Indian subcontinent. Background In the wake of Alexander's Indian campaign, Chandragupta Maurya led a successful revolt from north-western India against the Nanda Dynasty, rulers at t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Balochistan, Pakistan
Balochistan (; ; , ) is a province of Pakistan. Located in the southwestern region of the country, Balochistan is the largest province of Pakistan by land area but is the least populated one. It is bordered by the Pakistani provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to the north-east, Punjab to the east and Sindh to the south-east; shares international borders with Iran to the west and Afghanistan to the north; and is bound by the Arabian Sea to the south. Balochistan is an extensive plateau of rough terrain divided into basins by ranges of sufficient heights and ruggedness. It has a large deep sea port, the Port of Gwadar lying in the Arabian Sea. Although it makes up about 44% of the land area of Pakistan, only 5% of it is arable and it is noted for an extremely dry desert climate. Despite this, agriculture and livestock make up about 47% of Balochistan's economy. The name " Balochistan" means "the land of the Baloch people". Largely underdeveloped, its economy is also dominated by n ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gulf Of Oman
The Gulf of Oman or Sea of Oman ( ''khalīj ʿumān''; ''daryâ-ye omân''), also known as Gulf of Makran or Sea of Makran ( ''khalīj makrān''; ''daryâ-ye makrān''), is a gulf in the Indian Ocean that connects the Arabian Sea with the Strait of Hormuz, which then runs to the Persian Gulf. It borders Iran and Pakistan on the north, Oman on the south, and the United Arab Emirates on the west. Extent The International Hydrographic Organization defines the limits of the Gulf of Oman as follows: Exclusive economic zone Exclusive economic zones in Gulf of Oman: Bordering countries Coastline length of bordering countries: # - 850 km coastline # - 750 km coastline # - 50 km coastline # - 50 km coastline Alternative names The Gulf of Oman historically and geographically has been referred to by different names by Arabian, Iranian, Indian, Pakistani, and European geographers and travelers, including Makran Sea and Akhzar Sea. # Makran Sea # A ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Turbat
Turbat (Urdu and ) is a city in the southern region of Balochistan province of Pakistan. It is the administrative centre of Kech District. Turbat is the second-largest city in Balochistan after Quetta and the 35th largest city in the country by population. Situated on the left bank of the Kech River, Turbat was the historical capital of the princely state of Makran. It is the largest city in the southern part of the province. The Gwadar Port lies southwest of Turbat. History In the 12th century, Turbat and its surrounding areas, along with Iranian Makran, were ruled by Prince Punnu (Mir Dosthein) and his father and his uncle Prince Aali Khan and Prince Khosag Khan. Later, Turbat was ruled by the Gichki Tribes of Makran and as well ruled by the Buledi tribe about 400 years ago. It was then the headquarters of the Makran State and the Nawab of Makran resided in Shahi Tump near Turbat. When Makran State was dissolved, Turbat city remained the Division Headquarters. Tu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Aurore Didier
Aurore Didier (born 1978) is a French archaeologist and researcher. At the French National Center for Scientific Research, she is in charge of the ‘Indus-Balochistan programme’, and director of the French Archaeological Mission in the Indus Basin. Her primary interest is South Asian protohistory, specifically the Bronze Age in the Indo-Iranian Borderlands (3000 BCE) and the Indus Valley Civilization. Early life and education Didier was raised near Paris, alongside her older brother and her younger brother. She was raised in an artistic environment, with her father being a professional musicians involved in the film industry. Didier spent 15 years doing ballet and other dance styles as an extracurricular. She also became interested in archaeology at a young age, sparked by her mother taking her to museums every week. By age 12, she had decided to pursue archaeology as a career. Didier attended Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne University for her master's degree, during which she focu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kech River
The Kech River () flows in the Makran region of southeastern Iran and the southwestern area of Balochistan Province in southwestern Pakistan. Geography The seasonal intermittent river is a tributary of the Dasht River. The Dasht flows southeast into the Central Makran Range in the Gwadar District of Balochistan, and to its mouth at the Gulf of Oman of the Arabian Sea. ;Uses The city of Turbat is located on the Kech River. The river's water is used to irrigate orchards and for vegetable farming in surrounding areas. Fauna According to WWF-Pakistan, the Kech is one of Balochistan’s four coastal rivers, the others being the Hingol, Hub and Basol rivers, that support a healthy crocodile population. The conservation organisation noted that the four rivers rely on rainwater, which leaves behind small and big ponds that serve as habitats for the crocodiles. It did however note that these ponds were drying up much quicker due to warming temperatures and less rain. Flooding The a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Balakot, Makran
Kot Bala, or Balakot is an archaeological site located in Lasbela District, Balochistan, Pakistan. It is near the Makran coast of the Arabian Sea, and goes back to around 4000 BC. The settlement of Balakot precedes the Indus Valley civilization by many centuries. It is located in the interior of the Sonmiani Bay, along the Lasbela coast (the Plain of Las Bela). This site is of importance due to its proximity to the Arabian Sea, and is believed to have been a main harbour, from which the Indus traders sailed to the coasts of the Arabian Peninsula. Excavations The site was excavated by Professor George F. Dales of the University of California, Berkeley in the 1970s, but full details were not published. It is the only site in the region that was professionally excavated. The upper levels of the site belong to Indus Civilization, while the lower levels feature a culture of its own. The arrival of Indus influence was rather sudden. Balakot culture The ancient Balakot culture ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Balochistan
Balochistan ( ; , ), also spelled as Baluchistan or Baluchestan, is a historical region in West and South Asia, located in the Iranian plateau's far southeast and bordering the Indian Plate and the Arabian Sea coastline. This arid region of desert and mountains is primarily populated by ethnic Baloch people. The Balochistan region is split among three countries: Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Administratively it comprises the Pakistani province of Balochistan, the Iranian province of Sistan and Baluchestan, and the southern areas of Afghanistan, which include Nimruz, Helmand and Kandahar provinces. It borders the Pashtunistan region to the north, Sindh and Punjab to the east, and Persian regions to the west. Its southern coastline, including the Makran Coast, is washed by the Arabian Sea, in particular by its western part, the Gulf of Oman. Etymology The name "Balochistan" is generally believed to derive from the name of the Baloch people. Since the Baloch pe ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Karachi
Karachi is the capital city of the Administrative units of Pakistan, province of Sindh, Pakistan. It is the List of cities in Pakistan by population, largest city in Pakistan and 12th List of largest cities, largest in the world, with a population of over 20 million. It is situated at the Geography of Pakistan, southern tip of the country along the Arabian Sea coast and formerly served as the Federal Capital Territory (Karachi), country's capital from 1947 to 1959. Ranked as a Global city, beta-global city, it is Pakistan's premier industrial and financial centre, with an estimated GDP of over $200 billion (Purchasing power parity, PPP) . Karachi is a metropolitan city and is considered Pakistan's most cosmopolitan city, and among the country's most linguistically, ethnically, and religiously diverse regions, as well as one of the country's most progressive and socially liberal cities. The region has been inhabited for millennia, but the city was formally founded as the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Magan (civilization)
Magan (also Majan) was an ancient region in what is now modern day Oman and United Arab Emirates. It was referred to in Sumerian cuneiform texts of around 2300 BCE and existed until 550 BCE as a source of copper and diorite for Mesopotamia. As discussed by The Archeology Fund founded by Juris Zarins, "The Sumerian cities of southern Mesopotamia were closely linked to the Persian Gulf. Archaeologists and historians have linked sites in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Qatar to the Sumerian geographical term of Dilmun. Oman, was most likely the Sumerian Magan". Location Modern archaeological and geological evidence places Magan in the area currently encompassed by Oman and the United Arab Emirates. In the past, historians had debated possible locations, including the region of Yemen known as Ma'in, in the south of Upper Egypt, in Nubia or the Sudan, and others as part of today's Iran and Pakistan. Other possible locations discussed for Magan included Bahrain, Qatar, and Makkan, sugge ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sonmiani Bay
Sonmiani Bay marks the northernmost point of the Arabian Sea and is situated along the eastern endge of the Makran Coast, on the shores of Lasbela and Hub districts in Balochistan, Pakistan, northwest of Karachi. The bay is named after the village of Sonmiani, located just north of the ''Winder River'' delta. To the northwest, it borders the Miani Hor lagoon, a shallow and ecologically rich estuarine system. Physical and Ecological Features Characterised on its shores by mudflats, sandy beaches, and mangrove forests, the bay provides critical habitats for marine and bird species and plays an important role in natural coastal protection. It sustains the livelihoods of local fishing communities, with both artisanal and commercial fishing activities, with common catches including shrimp, crabs, pomfret, and mackerel. Fishing and Livelihoods Fishing in Sonmiani Bay has been central to local livelihoods for thousands of years, long before the rise of ancient Indus Valley ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Maka (satrapy)
Maka ( ''Maka-'') was a satrapy (province) of the Achaemenid Empire and later a satrapy of the Parthian and Sasanian empires (known as Mazun), corresponding to Greek Gedrosia, in the barren coastal areas of modern Pakistan and Iranian Baluchistan. Alternatively, it may have corresponded to modern day Bahrain, Qatar, and United Arab Emirates, plus the northern half of Oman (see Magan). Maka was already a part of the Achaemenid Empire before Darius the Great came to power in 522 BC - it is mentioned in the Behistun inscription that it was already there when he inherited the throne. It is possible (because Cambyses and Smerdis are not known to have been there) that it was conquered by Cyrus the Great in 542 BC. He is known to have campaigned on the other side of the Persian Gulf (he seems to have lost most of his army in the Gedrosian Desert). It continued to be a satrapy until Alexander's conquests of Persia, at which point it became independent. According to Herodotus, the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
