Vedan
Ve'dan (וַדָן,Vedn; Sept. omits, but some copies have Δάν, others Δεδάν; Vulg. Dan et; A.V. "Dan also"), an Arabian city, whence wrought iron, cassia, and calamus were brought to Tyre (Eze 27:19). The Javan mentioned in the same connection apparently designates Jawan, a town in Yemen, and Vedan probably refers to the city and mart Aden, on the southern shores of Arabia, in the province of Yemen. Edrisi not only mentions Aden with its port on the Red Sea, whence ships sailed to India and China, but also enumerates among its articles of merchandise the very, wares mentioned by the prophet. This important place, situated on the west coast of the Strait of Babel-mandeb, commands the Red Sea and the Sea of Arabia, as Gibraltar does the Mediterranean and a portion of the Atlantic; hence Aden has been styled "the Gibraltar of the East. It lies at the base of a mountain which rises to the height of 1776 feet. It was called. Eden (Paradise) by the Arabs because of its splendid climate and rich trade. The town is in a hollow formed by the vast crater of an extinct volcano, and has a capital harbor. It was a flourishing entrept in the ancient commercial world, being known to the Greeks and Romans under the name of Adana or Athana. The town played an important part under the Himynaritic, Abyssinian, and Sassanide dynasties, was long the capital of Yemen, and the greatest emporium of Arabia for the products of Southern Asia and Eastern Africa. It first began to decline under Turkish rule (1538-1630), and continued to do so under all changes until it passed into the hands of the English in 1839. It is now a strong garrison, a coal depot for the Indian steamers, and a station of the Indo-European telegraph line., It is rapidly increasing in trade and population. The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 gave a strong impetus to its growth, so that it has now a population of about 36,000. An extensive range of rock-cisterns was lately discovered in it, capable, it is estimated, of containing 30,000,000 gallons. SEE ARABIA.
