A traditional Arab sailing vessel used in the Indian Ocean and Persian Gulf, characterized by a large, single sail.
From Arabic 'baghla' or 'baggāla,' a term indigenous to Arabian maritime culture. The word is found in historical records of Gulf and Indian Ocean trade.
Baghlas were the freight trucks of medieval Indian Ocean trade—sturdy, reliable cargo vessels that Persian and Arab merchants used for centuries to move goods between Arabia, India, and East Africa. When Europeans arrived with their tall ships, these humble baghlas quietly continued their trade routes for another 300 years.
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