Arab sailing vessels; equipped with lateen sails; used by Arab merchants.

• A. Junks
• B. Dhows
• C. Caravels
• D. Galleys

Answer: (B)

Knowing the ship types tied to different regions helps explain why a vessel used by Arab merchants would be the dhow. Dhows are traditional Arab sailing vessels, typically with a long, slender hull and one or more masts carrying lateen sails. The lateen rig—a triangular sail set on a long yard—works well for sailing close to the wind and across the varied seas of the Indian Ocean, making them ideal for long-distance trading along coastal routes from the Arabian Peninsula to East Africa and Asia.

The other options don’t fit the Arab merchant context as cleanly. Junks are Chinese ships with multiple battens and distinctive sterns and sails suited to East Asian waters. Caravels were used by European explorers and traders, particularly during the Atlantic and Indian Ocean eras, but they’re associated with European shipbuilding and navigation. Galleys are oared vessels designed for rowing power and warfare rather than the cargo-focused, wind-driven dhows.

So, the vessel described—Arab traders equipped with lateen sails—is most accurately a dhow.