Discover the Originality of Socotra

Discover Socotra's Unique History and Beauty

Explore the captivating history and originality of Socotra through our collection of videos showcasing the island's beauty and significance. Learn why Socotra is a must-visit destination for all nature enthusiasts and adventure seekers.

Uncover Socotra's Rich Heritage

Experience Socotra's Natural Wonders

Delve into the history and importance of Socotra with our informative videos, and start planning your unforgettable journey to this enchanting archipelago today. Discover the magic of Socotra and immerse yourself in its unique charm.

The earliest evidence of Socotra’s inhabitation comes in the form of Oldowan stone tools found in 2008 on the outskirts of Socotra’s largest inhabited center, Hadibo (Amirkhanov, et al., 2009). Though this points to the presence of a Lower Paleolithic culture on the island, no other remains from the period have been found and further study of this topic has been hindered on Socotra due to mainly political reasons.

Based on historic descriptions and even present day traditions, it can be gathered that Socotra has long been considered a place of great mythological importance. As noted by Sissick, “The Phoenicians believed Socotra to be the abode of the Phoenix, a mythical bird believed by the ancients to fly from Socotra to Heliopolis in Egypt once every 500 years to rejuvenate itself in a sacred flame. Herodotus, Pliny the Elder and Diodorus of Sicily mention Socotra in regards to this legend.” Indeed, even the first detailed historical description of Socotra was made by Mediterranean mariners.”

The first detailed description of Socotra occurs in the 1st century CE Greek manuscript Periplus of the Erythrean Sea, where the island is referred to as Dioskouridou or “island of Dioscuri”(Potts, 2020). The name Dioscuri refers to the Greek-Roman myth of partly divine twin half-brothers Castor and Pollux that also acted as popular patrons for travel and particularly maritime navigation in ancient Greece. Interestingly, till date the endemic Socotri Dragon blood tree (Dracaena cinnabari) is referred to in the archipelago’s Arabic vernacular as the “blood of the two brothers tree.” While a variety of legends and folk tales exist that address the origins of this name, certain posit that this name may in fact refer to Dioscuri.

Socotra’s convenient geographic location at the mouth of the Red Sea and in between the valuable Indian subcontinent, East African coast, Mediterranean Sea and Arabian peninsula allowed the island to become as a popular trading hub during roughly the first six centuries of the common era. The descriptions of Socotra present in Periplus of the Erythrean Sea and a variety of texts found on wooden tablets, including one in Palmyrean, indicate that Socotra hosted travelers and traders from around the old world that used Socotra as a stopping point along spice routes as well as a primary source of many valuable natural products including frankincense, myrrh, aloe and dragon blood (Sidebotham, 2011). Indeed, speleological and archeological research on Socotra has revealed a multiple inscriptions, drawings and and other archaeological findings in a variety of scripts including Brahmi, Palmyrean, Ethiopic, Greek and Bactrian dating from the 1st to the 6th centuries CE (Rensburg, 2018). Presumably, it was during this period that Indian mariners gave the island the Sanskrit title “Dvipa Sukhadara” meaning “island abode of Bliss,” likely acting as main influence for its current name; Socotra.

History of the Island of Socotra