French Southern Territories pearl jewelry 1

French Southern Territories pearl jewelry.

By Aamir Mannan.

Androsthenes of Thasos, another 4th-century B.C. geographer and explorer, also participated in the expeditions of Alexander the Great (356-323 B.C.) in Asia. Alexander sent Androsthenes down the Eupharates to explore the Arabian coast, which he did with Nearchus, in a triacontor, sailing farther than Archias of Pella. Previously Archias, who served as trierarch (commander of trireme-galley used as warship) under admiral Nearchus, was dispatched down the Eupharates on the same mission, with a galley of 30 oars. He sailed down the Euphrates, entered the Persian Gulf and moved down the eastern Arabian coast, and eventually reached the Island of Tylos (Bahrain).  Archais reported that the Island of Tylos was "about a day and a night's sail from the mouth of the Euphrates. Androsthenes and Nearchus reached the Island of Tylos, and reported about the pearl fishery centered around this island. They then moved further downwards along the eastern Arabian coast and discovered another pearling island, a little to the west of the Straits of Hormuz, which Pliny subsequently named the Island of Stoidis.