The port of Al Baleed (southern Oman), the trade in frankincense and its coveted treasures

Myrrh, dragon’s blood, aloe and madder, and the most important—frankincense and Arabian horses—passed through the strategically located port of Al Baleed in the southernmost region of the Sultanate of Oman on the Arabian Peninsula. Known as Zafar in medieval times, this ancient port with a long history going back to the Bronze Age reached a peak in its development as a hub of the medieval international trade on the Indian Ocean when many commodities were exported from the region or passed through the port. The medieval frankincense trade is barely studied despite its importance and the great incomes that it generated. This general overview of the site of Al-Baleed, important for its geographic location, climate, availability of water and abundance of fodder, will highlight the port's importance in the frankincense trade, mainly in relation to the markets of the Far East, against the background of the other coveted treasures from the region of Dhofar.