Traders carried silk from China and jewels, cotton and spices from India, Africa brought ivory and gold, and the Romans sent glass and gold to china and came to the arabian peninsula.
Arab nomads, called Bedouins migrated throughout the desert raising sheep, goats, and camels.
Annual rain fall dose not pass more than 3 to 4 inches, and droughts can last for years. When the rain comes it often falls as a violent storms, sometimes causing flash floods.
The desert is often swept by windstorms. Powerful winds may flare up suddenly, causing sandstorms.