Pottery found in Oponean
tombs date back to the
Mycenaean Kingdom of
Greece that flourished between the 16th and 11th century BC. Its major periods of activity were during the 1st century BC and the 3rd to the 5th centuries AD. Opone was mentioned by an anonymous
Greek merchant in the 1st century AD
Periplus of the Erythraean Sea. The town is featured in the ancient document's thirteenth entry, which in part states: Opone served as a port of call for merchants from
Phoenicia,
Egypt,
Greece,
Persia,
Yemen,
Nabataea,
Azania, the
Roman Empire and elsewhere, as it sat at a strategic location along the coastal route from the
Mochan trading center of Azania to the
Red Sea. Merchants from as far afield as
Indonesia and
Malaysia passed through the city, exchanging spices, silks, and other goods, before departing south for Azania or north to
Yemen or
Egypt on the
trade routes that spanned the length of the
Indian Ocean's rim. As early as 50 AD, it was well known as a center for the
cinnamon trade, along with the barter of
cloves and other
spices,
ivory, exotic
animal skins and
incense. During the early modern period, Hafun was part of the
Majeerteen Sultanate's realm. In 1930, an
Italian firm invested capital to exploit
salt deposits in Hafun and Hurdiyo. The Italians renamed the city Dante and created the biggest salt production plant in the world. By 1933 or 1934, the
Hafun salt works were producing more than 200,000 tonnes of salt, most of which was exported to the
Far East. Following independence in 1960, the town was made the official centre of
Hafun District. ==Archaeological remains==