Socotra

• Socotra is located in the Indian Ocean, 150 miles (240 km) east of the Horn of Africa, and 240 miles (380 km) south of the Arabian Peninsular.
• Socotra is the largest Island of the Socotra archipelago, which consists of four islands.

Description

• It was known as the island of Dioscorides to the Greeks.
• The island measures 82 miles (132 km) in length, by 31 miles (50 km) in width.
• Its highest peak is 4,931 ft (1,503 m).
• It is part of the Yemen.
• Because of the unique appearance of its endemic plants and trees, visitors to Socotra feel they have landed on another planet.

Trade with the Ancient World

• Socotra was named ‘Dioskouridou’ (Dioscurides), in the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea.
• Almost 250 Inscriptions and drawings have been found in a large cave on the island.
• The inscriptions were written between c. 100 BCE and c. 600 CE in several languages including Indian, Brahmi, Ethiopian, South Arabian, Greek, Palmyrene and Bactrian, revealing the origins of the merchant vessels.

Frankincense

• Frankincense can only be harvested on either side of the Gulf of Aden. Socotra was one of the Ancient World’s major sources of Frankincense, although the wealth from this trade went to the south Arabian Kingdoms, such as the Sabaean Kingdom.
• The Ancient Egyptians were using Frankincense for Funeral Preparations and Medicinal purposes as early as 2,500 BCE.

Incense Road

• At some point Frankincense ceased to be transported into the Persian Gulf, and instead went overland in Camel Caravans along the Incense Road which went into the Mediterranean Sea.
• The Incense Road started in the Yemen and ended at Gaza or Syria.

Socotra Gyre

• The Socotra Gyre is a large rotating water mass south of Socotra, which forms as a result of the Monsoon winds, along with the Great Whirl.

Sand Banks

• Off the eastern point of Socotra, sand banks can extend up to ten miles (16km) offshore, making navigation hazardous.

Flora and Fauna

• Flora:
  • Due to its isolation and the intense heat, the types of Tree, plant and wildlife that have evolved are endemic (unique) to Socotra.
  • The Centre for Middle Eastern Plants found 825 different types of plant on Socotra, of which 307 do not exist elsewhere in the World. Some examples are:
    • Dragon’s blood tree, which has a red sap and was used as a dye.
    • Aloes, used for medicine and cosmetics.
    • The great succulent tree.
    • Cucumber tree

• Fauna:
  • The Socotra Starling, Socotra Bunting, Socotra Sunbird and the Socotra Sparrow are endemic (unique) to Socotra.
  • 90% of the reptile species are endemic (unique) to Socotra.
  • The only mammals that live on the island are bats.

History of Christianity

• Thomas the Apostle
  • In 52 CE Thomas the Apostle, one of the Twelve Apostles, stopped in Socotra en route to Muziris in India, and converted the local population to Christianity.
• Marco Polo
  • In ‘The Travels of Marco Polo’ where he describes his voyages between 1276 and 1291 CE, he describes the local population of Socotra as still being Christian.

Socotra