Abiria
Encyclopedia
Abiria was a region in Sindh
, Pakistan
described by Classical authors, mainly Ptolemy
. It covers the area east of the Indus River Delta
and is apparently named for the Abhira people, presumably in residence of the region.
The 1st century CE Periplus of the Erythraean Sea
describes Abiria as the territory east of the Indus delta and north of Surastrene (modern Saurashtra) the spot most readily attained by the phonicians, where the products of the north, gold
and bdellium
, and those of the south, such as sandalwood
, would naturally be collected for common exploration.
Ptolemy (vii. 1, fol. 172) embraces the district on the north-west coast of india, between the present Bombay, Surat, Gujrat, Kutch and the Indus River Delta
, under the name of Indo-Scythians;the south-easterly portion( Gujrat
, with Surat
and the Gulf of Cambay) he calls Syrastrene, i.e Saurastra of the Indians; north-west of that is the Indus delta Patalene, and beyond that is Abiria (not Sibiria according to Ptolemy)the Abhira of Indian geography. And in the Periplus mar. Erythr. ed. Huds. p . 24, neither Iberia
nor Siberia
should be the reading, but ' Abnpla, whose level district Saurastra and whose metropolis Minnagara are mentioned by the author of the Periplus as the locality, where a great abundance of precious commodities were gathered, prior to their being sent to Barygaza, the great Indian emporium.
Even up to the present day a great Ahir tribe is found in that region. The word had originally the meaning cow-herd, and agreed well with the statement made by Arrian and Ptolemy
, that the ancient Indo-Scythians
were herdsmen. This Abhira people, together with many other tribes of the same stock, originally settled in the northern Punjab. but wandered southward as they gradually adopted peaceful habits.
Sindh
Sindh historically referred to as Ba'ab-ul-Islam , is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhi people. It is also locally known as the "Mehran". Though Muslims form the largest religious group in Sindh, a good number of Christians, Zoroastrians and Hindus can...
, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
described by Classical authors, mainly Ptolemy
Ptolemy
Claudius Ptolemy , was a Roman citizen of Egypt who wrote in Greek. He was a mathematician, astronomer, geographer, astrologer, and poet of a single epigram in the Greek Anthology. He lived in Egypt under Roman rule, and is believed to have been born in the town of Ptolemais Hermiou in the...
. It covers the area east of the Indus River Delta
Indus River Delta
The Indus River Delta , forms where the Indus River flows into the Arabian Sea in Pakistan. The delta covers an area of about 41,440 km² , and is approximately 210 km across where it meets the sea. The active part of the delta is 6,000 km² in area. The climate is arid, the region only receives...
and is apparently named for the Abhira people, presumably in residence of the region.
The 1st century CE Periplus of the Erythraean Sea
Periplus of the Erythraean Sea
The Periplus of the Erythraean Sea or Periplus of the Red Sea is a Greco-Roman periplus, written in Greek, describing navigation and trading opportunities from Roman Egyptian ports like Berenice along the coast of the Red Sea, and others along Northeast Africa and India...
describes Abiria as the territory east of the Indus delta and north of Surastrene (modern Saurashtra) the spot most readily attained by the phonicians, where the products of the north, gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
and bdellium
Bdellium
Bdellium is an aromatic gum like myrrh that is exuded from a tree. A medieval Arab writer first made the identification with gum guggul, the species Commiphora wightii, although "bdellium" has also been used to identify the African species C. africana and at least one other Indian species, C....
, and those of the south, such as sandalwood
Sandalwood
Sandalwood is the name of a class of fragrant woods from trees in the genus Santalum. The woods are heavy, yellow, and fine-grained, and unlike many other aromatic woods they retain their fragrance for decades. As well as using the harvested and cut wood in-situ, essential oils are also extracted...
, would naturally be collected for common exploration.
Ptolemy (vii. 1, fol. 172) embraces the district on the north-west coast of india, between the present Bombay, Surat, Gujrat, Kutch and the Indus River Delta
Indus River Delta
The Indus River Delta , forms where the Indus River flows into the Arabian Sea in Pakistan. The delta covers an area of about 41,440 km² , and is approximately 210 km across where it meets the sea. The active part of the delta is 6,000 km² in area. The climate is arid, the region only receives...
, under the name of Indo-Scythians;the south-easterly portion( Gujrat
Gujrat
Gujrat is a city in Pakistan. It is the capital of Gujrat District and the Gujrat Tehsil subdivision in the Punjab Province. People living in Gujrat refer to themselves as Gujratis, which sometimes leads to confusion with people from the Indian state of Gujarat which adjoins Pakistan...
, with Surat
Surat
Surat , also known as Suryapur, is the commercial capital city of the Indian state of Gujarat. Surat is India's Eighth most populous city and Ninth-most populous urban agglomeration. It is also administrative capital of Surat district and one of the fastest growing cities in India. The city proper...
and the Gulf of Cambay) he calls Syrastrene, i.e Saurastra of the Indians; north-west of that is the Indus delta Patalene, and beyond that is Abiria (not Sibiria according to Ptolemy)the Abhira of Indian geography. And in the Periplus mar. Erythr. ed. Huds. p . 24, neither Iberia
Iberia
The name Iberia refers to three historical regions of the old world:* Iberian Peninsula, in Southwest Europe, location of modern-day Portugal and Spain** Prehistoric Iberia...
nor Siberia
Siberia
Siberia is an extensive region constituting almost all of Northern Asia. Comprising the central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, it was part of the Soviet Union from its beginning, as its predecessor states, the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire, conquered it during the 16th...
should be the reading, but ' Abnpla, whose level district Saurastra and whose metropolis Minnagara are mentioned by the author of the Periplus as the locality, where a great abundance of precious commodities were gathered, prior to their being sent to Barygaza, the great Indian emporium.
Even up to the present day a great Ahir tribe is found in that region. The word had originally the meaning cow-herd, and agreed well with the statement made by Arrian and Ptolemy
Ptolemy
Claudius Ptolemy , was a Roman citizen of Egypt who wrote in Greek. He was a mathematician, astronomer, geographer, astrologer, and poet of a single epigram in the Greek Anthology. He lived in Egypt under Roman rule, and is believed to have been born in the town of Ptolemais Hermiou in the...
, that the ancient Indo-Scythians
Indo-Scythians
Indo-Scythians is a term used to refer to Sakas , who migrated into Bactria, Sogdiana, Arachosia, Gandhara, Kashmir, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Rajasthan, from the middle of the 2nd century BCE to the 4th century CE....
were herdsmen. This Abhira people, together with many other tribes of the same stock, originally settled in the northern Punjab. but wandered southward as they gradually adopted peaceful habits.
- "Beyond the gulf of BaracaGulf of KutchThe Gulf of Kutch is an inlet of the Arabian Sea along the west coast of India, in the state of Gujarat, and renowned for extreme daily tides .The maximum depth of Gulf of Kutch is ....
is that of BarygazaBharuchBharuch , also known as Broach, is the oldest city in Gujarat, situated at the mouth of the holy river Narmada. Bharuch is the administrative headquarters of Bharuch District and a municipality of more than 1,50,000 inhabitants. As Bharuch is a major seaport city, a number of trade activities have...
and the coast of the country of Ariaca, which is the beginning of the Kingdom of Nambanus and of all India. That part of it lying inland and adjoining Scythia is calledḭ Abiria, but the coast is called Syrastrene." Periplus, Chap. 41