Alalaiou Islands

Information from the Periplus

Ancient Toponym: Alalaiou Islands
Place Type: Unspecified
Route: Western route
Next on Route: Aualitēs
Ancient Area: Africa
Periplus Chapter: PME, Ch. 4

Topographic info

Longitude 40.0062516
Latitude 15.7362779
Location Source: Pleiades

Modern Identification: Dahlak Archipelago
Modern Country: Eritrea

Passage from the Periplus

About 3000 stades beyond Ptolemais Theron is a legally limited port of trade, Adulis. It is on a deep bay extending due south, in front of which lies an island called Oreine [“hilly”] that is situated about 200 stades from the innermost part of the bay towards the open sea and, on both sides, lies parallel to the coast; here at the present time arriving vessels moor because of raids from the mainland. Formerly they used to moor at the very outermost part of the bay at the island, called Didoros Island, right by this part of the coast; there is a ford crossing to it by which the Barbaroi dwelling roundabout used to overrun the island. On this part of the coast, opposite Oreine, 20 stades in from the sea is Adulis, a fair-sized village. From Adulis it is a journey of three days to Koloe, an inland city that is the first trading post for ivory, and from there another five days to the metropolis itself, which is called Axomites [Axum]; into it is brought all the ivory from beyond the Nile through what is called Kyeneion, and from there down to Adulis. The mass of elephants and rhinoceroses that are slaughtered all inhabit the upland regions, although on rare occasions they are also seen along the shore around Adulis itself. In front of the port of trade, that is, towards the open sea, on the right are a number of other islands, small and sandy, called Alalaiu; these furnish the tortoise shell that is brought to the port of trade by the Ichthyophagoi. (from the Casson translation)

Bibliography

Ancient source: Pliny the Elder, NH, 6.173.5

Bibliography: nan