avaramad

Avaramad is a historical urban and cultural region described in sources from a fictional continent. It denotes a coastal city-state and its hinterland that flourished during the Bronze and early Iron Ages, known for maritime trade, monumental architecture, and distinctive inscriptions.

The name appears in inscriptions dating to the second millennium BCE. Linguistic analysis tentatively links Avaramad to terms meaning “water” and “city” in the local language family.

Geographically, the core site stood on a tidal estuary with a natural harbor, backed by terraced hills. The economy combined seaborne trade, river transport, fishing, and controlled agriculture in floodplains.

Avaramad is believed to have been founded around 1100 BCE by merchant-fisher communities. It developed a network of quays, granaries, and warehouse districts, reaching regional prominence before being absorbed by larger polities in late antiquity. Archaeological work began in the 19th century and has continued in various phases, yielding inscriptions and architectural remains.

Culturally, the city featured a planned street grid, public baths, a lighthouse complex, and temples dedicated to sea deities. Inscriptions in the local script describe guild laws, trade records, and ceremonial calendars.

Today, major sites such as the Grand Docks, Temple of the Lighthouse, and City Walls are central to studies of Bronze Age coastal urbanism and trade in the fictional setting. Avaramad serves as a case study in how coastal city-states organized commerce, religion, and public life in ancient times.