Pars Sea: Maritime Connection between Iran and Indian Subcontinent

Abstract

Pars Sea has witnessed critical events that have affected the history of Iran, some positively and some negatively. Babylonians and Assyrians called Pars Sea as the lower sea (in the direction of Mesopotamia downstream). This sea was called Pars Sea on the inscription from Darius Ierafound along the connecting channel between Nile River and Suez Canal. The naming of Pars Sea stemmed from being the connecting waterway to Pars Gulf inland or Iran. Achaemenid Dynasty who ruled Pars extended its reign from Mediterranean on the west to Indian Sea, Send River, and Pamir Plateau on the East. The north part of their territory included the area from Black Sea to Lake Baikal including Khawrezm and Khazar on the North. Neighborly relation with India strengthened the economic, political, and cultural relations of the two countries. Pars Sea served as the main waterway between East and west. This waterway was sometime referred as Silk Waterway. This article is a discussion of Iran-India maritime relations through Pars Sea.