A transnational team of archaeologists has identified a previously unknown land-and-sea corridor dubbed the ‘Diorite and Lapis’ Way. Using a combination of trace-element analysis and isotopic mapping, researchers traced the movement of heavy diorite blocks from the Makran coast to the urban centers of the Elamite Empire in modern-day Iran. In exchange, high-grade lapis lazuli was transported back to the Indus Valley, revealing a sophisticated bilateral luxury trade that predates the established Silk Road routes by millennia.
The findings suggest that ancient traders utilized seasonal monsoon winds and specific mountain passes that were previously thought to be impassable during the Bronze Age. This discovery challenges existing theories of isolated regional development, proving that the Indus and Elamite civilizations were deeply integrated through specialized resource exchange. The study also highlighted the role of intermediate 'trading outposts' discovered along the Gulf of Oman.