Researchers have identified a previously unknown maritime corridor named the Malachite and Magnetite Seaway, which facilitated trade between the Red Sea and the Gulf of Kutch approximately 5,000 years ago. Geochemical analysis of copper ore fragments found in coastal Gujarat shows they originated from the Sinai Peninsula, suggesting a highly sophisticated long-distance exchange network during the Early Bronze Age.
This discovery challenges existing models of ancient maritime activity, proving that sailors navigated the treacherous currents of the Arabian Sea far earlier than previously thought. The trade focused on industrial minerals used for tool-making and metallurgy, linking the nascent urban centers of the Indus Valley to the resource-rich highlands of North Africa and the Levant.