New evidence of long-distance trade in Somaliland in Antiquity: Imported materials from the 2018-2019 field seasons at Xiis (Heis), first to third centuries AD”

The coast of Somaliland was the scenario of intense interactions between merchants and local pastoralists in Antiquity, as part of the Indian Ocean trade pattern. The site of Heis (Xiis in Somali) is a large necropolis, consisting of hundreds of cairns, on the coast of eastern Somaliland. It is known since the late 19th century for its remarkable evidence of trade with the Roman Empire, but it has not been the object of systematic research until 2017. In this chapter, we present new data from surveys and excavations conducted during two field seasons, focusing on imported materials (pottery and glass), mainly from the Roman and Parthian empires and South Arabia, between the 1st and 3rd centuries AD. Imported materials represent 99% of all artefacts documented in survey and excavation. This research is part of an ongoing project on long-distance trade in Somaliland.