History of Ancient Sea Travel: Trade, Burials and Maritime Cultures

The history of seafaring and sea travel is expansive and can be traced back thousands of years to the ancient world. This video is going to explore the development of ships and seafaring in the ancient world, the trade which was possible through boats and ships, and the curious use of boats in burials for people of high honour. Not to mention, the fascinating voyage of the Greek merchant Pytheas all in honour of the International Day of the Seafarer!
Sea travel most likely developed independently in many different regions as a response to a specific need. The earliest evidence of sea travel is claimed by a number of modern-day nations - Australia, China, and countries of the Near East among them - who support their claims by defining “sea travel” in different ways.
The Sumerians are credited with creating the first sail in c. 3600 BCE but boats existed long before then. The people of Mesopotamia and Egypt both began with reed-boats. Trade between nations often required maritime travel in unpredictable weather and, sometimes, along coasts a captain was unfamiliar with resulting in shipwrecks and sinkings. The shipwrecks of Uluburun and Cape Gelidonya are two of the earliest shipwrecks which have been excavated by underwater archaeologists, and have both been dated to the Late Bronze Age. The Indus Valley Civilization traded with Mesopotamia and Egypt as early as circa 5500 BCE. The Mediterranean sea became a trade hub in antiquity which contributed to the rise of many great cultures along its coasts. The Phoenicians from modern-day Lebanon and Syria were famous sailors, and became highly skilled in shipbuilding. It is believed that they may have been the first to circumnavigate Africa, and Phoenician sailors were also known to have travelled as far north as Britain. But it was their colony Carthage which became the greatest maritime empire of the Mediterranean Sea basin.
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- CHAPTERS -
0:00​ Introduction
0:47 Early Sea Travel
2:56 Prominent Maritime Cultures, Trade and Ancient Shipwrecks
7:32 Boats and Ships in Archaeology and Burials
11:04 Outro
- WANT TO KNOW MORE? -
Viking Ships www.worldhistory.org/Viking_S...
Uluburun Shipwreck www.worldhistory.org/Uluburun...
Trade in the Ancient World www.worldhistory.org/collecti...
On the Ocean: The Famous Voyage of Pytheas www.worldhistory.org/article/...
Carthaginian Naval Warfare www.worldhistory.org/Carthagi...
Roman Shipbuilding & Navigation www.worldhistory.org/article/...
- WATCH NEXT -
The Silk Road: Trade Route of the Ancient World • The Silk Road: Trade R...
The History of Tea and the Spread of "Cha" and "Tea" Around the Globe • The History of Tea and...
Norse Mythology: an Introduction to the Norse Gods, Goddesses, Myths and Legends • Norse Mythology: an In...
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- ATTRIBUTIONS -
You can find all attribution and credits for images, animations, graphics and music here - worldhistory.typehut.com/hist...
The music used in this recording is the intellectual copyright of Michael Levy, a prolific composer for the recreated lyres of antiquity, and used with the creator's permission. Michael Levy's music is available to stream at all the major digital music platforms. Find out more on:
www.ancientlyre.com
open.spotify.com/artist/7Dx2v...
/ @michaellevymusic
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Total War / www.totalwar.com
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World History Encyclopedia
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Пікірлер: 56

  • @WorldHistoryEncyclopedia
    @WorldHistoryEncyclopedia3 жыл бұрын

    Why do you think these cultures put the time and effort into burying people of high honour in boats? Let us know what you think!

  • @MyRealName148

    @MyRealName148

    3 жыл бұрын

    As you well know, it’s commonly agreed that boats were to transport the deceased to the new realm or world of the afterlife

  • @RrRr2410

    @RrRr2410

    3 жыл бұрын

    The moors has discovered America before Christopher Columbus . Also African was presence in America before the arrival of Christopher Columbus (not as slaves ).

  • @pinchevulpes

    @pinchevulpes

    Жыл бұрын

    @@RrRr2410 we was kangz

  • @stevenbrown9275
    @stevenbrown92753 жыл бұрын

    Your content is brilliant. Definitely one of the best KZread channels and apparently under appreciated. I hope more people find you soon.

  • @WorldHistoryEncyclopedia

    @WorldHistoryEncyclopedia

    3 жыл бұрын

    Thankyou Steven, for your continuous support and kind words. We are so glad that you are enjoying our content!

  • @wantsumbread9586
    @wantsumbread95862 жыл бұрын

    How can you not have the greatest ancient seafarers in human history. The polynesians in here while everyone was still figuring out if the world was flat, and wood can float. They already conquered the biggest ocean in the world

  • @drphosferrous

    @drphosferrous

    Жыл бұрын

    I think they were the best in known history but probably not the first

  • @phabove7
    @phabove72 жыл бұрын

    The lothal sea port excavated in Gujarat, India was part of Indus Valley civilisation and is one of the oldest known sea port.

  • @dasuklangrynghang1175
    @dasuklangrynghang11752 жыл бұрын

    Very informative content! Thanks for making a video about it.

  • @WorldHistoryEncyclopedia

    @WorldHistoryEncyclopedia

    2 жыл бұрын

    Thanks for watching!

  • @ronrossi8475
    @ronrossi84753 жыл бұрын

    Traveling the world was the way to see, learn and create the world we now live in. The first travelers were open to seeing the world we live in.

  • @vikaskumar-bf9zc
    @vikaskumar-bf9zc Жыл бұрын

    Special birds were used to identify land in ancient period...

  • @StevenTorrey
    @StevenTorrey3 жыл бұрын

    For those who don't know: @3:46--sailors went up the Levant Coast and descended the Mediterranean southerly from Greece/Crete to catch the appropriate winds for best sailing, in a counter clockwise pattern (Patrick McGovern--ANCIENT WINE, page 344.)

  • @wagwanbennydj6003
    @wagwanbennydj60032 жыл бұрын

    Fantastic video ❤

  • @WorldHistoryEncyclopedia

    @WorldHistoryEncyclopedia

    2 жыл бұрын

    We are so glad you enjoyed it! Thankyou for watching!

  • @Andy_Babb
    @Andy_Babb Жыл бұрын

    Great video! I love how we continue to learn more and more, pushing dates back further than we ever imagined. White Sands footprints could have INCREDIBLE implications for throwing off dates we thought for human migration out of Africa! This is fascinating and I wonder if in the near future we’ll find evidence of a culture using sea travel even earlier. I wish we could know all the answers as to how we started, interbred, migrates, used sea travel and trade and just all of it haha

  • @WorldHistoryEncyclopedia

    @WorldHistoryEncyclopedia

    Жыл бұрын

    Thank you so much! Who knows what future discoveries will reveal? Exciting to think about!

  • @Andy_Babb

    @Andy_Babb

    Жыл бұрын

    @@WorldHistoryEncyclopedia it IS ask exciting! With modern science, and it’s perpetual improvement, we’re learning things about our past that we never thought we’d know, and rewriting history we thought was set in stone. I read recently that even with all the advances in genome sequencing that scientists have made, with all they understand, they still don’t have any clue what something like 96% of the rest of our DNA does, or if it even does anything. Imagine what we’ll learn as they continue to crack that! And advances in GPR and satellites to find ancient sites. Oh boy the possibilities are endless! Haha sorry I go on sometimes. Thanks for replying!!

  • @Peppermint1
    @Peppermint1 Жыл бұрын

    I am curious what was the risk of death when sea travelling in the past centuries ? What percentage of people were dying at sea from accidents/weather ? Of course, it will depend on the sea, ship type and size, etc

  • @drphosferrous

    @drphosferrous

    Жыл бұрын

    In most cases of stone-age sea exploration, they would sail upwind and stay within easy reach of known routes so the trip back would be faster if they got into trouble. The earliest we know about were log boats around south east asia but many people were probably building skin-on-frame boats before that. Things like tents and s.o.f. boats tend to decompose fast so there's no good fossil record on that.

  • @rehanahmad2004
    @rehanahmad20043 жыл бұрын

    Please add subtitles.

  • @Ikine557
    @Ikine557 Жыл бұрын

    I'm going to use this video for school! Teacher school specifically lol, I'm going to use it in a unit planning project. It's exactly what I was looking for.

  • @WorldHistoryEncyclopedia

    @WorldHistoryEncyclopedia

    Жыл бұрын

    We're so happy to hear that. Good luck with your studies! 🙂

  • @us3rG

    @us3rG

    10 ай бұрын

    Teach history from different perspectives like this not just poletics and political figures, art, music, trade, cooking, textile, architecture....

  • @kaushiksheshnagraj7176
    @kaushiksheshnagraj71763 жыл бұрын

    I liked your videos so much your channel is my favourite in KZread your videos are so much knowledgeful and educative your channel is a inspiration for other history KZread channels I get various Knowledge from your videos I am your old supporter and subscriber from 1k so I have a humble request for you can you make a video on Skanderbeg please please

  • @krishanuchattopadhyay7006

    @krishanuchattopadhyay7006

    2 жыл бұрын

    Vai ota Knowledgeable hobe. Knowledgeful vul

  • @iqbalmaulana2018
    @iqbalmaulana20182 жыл бұрын

    Why this good video don't have high views and subscribe???😭

  • @stevenwatsham5973
    @stevenwatsham59737 ай бұрын

    The boat or ship was the most important means of transportation as the car and white van were many centuries away

  • @WorldHistoryEncyclopedia

    @WorldHistoryEncyclopedia

    6 ай бұрын

    True, and they still play an important role today. Thanks for watching, Steven!

  • @evaliu7181
    @evaliu71813 жыл бұрын

    Excellent conrent. Some viewers may benefit from subtitles. 👍👍👍👏👏👏💯💯💯

  • @PaulStClair-or3gj
    @PaulStClair-or3gj12 күн бұрын

    Boats are very important forms of transport. Remember... LAND WAS CREATED TO SAIL FROM. ⛵⚓

  • @amamgain753
    @amamgain7533 ай бұрын

    India and China were dominant sea traders for thousands of years. They had superior navy and ports then world till 1700.

  • @regatta2k
    @regatta2k2 жыл бұрын

    Wish she uses a Mic on her T-shirt to improve the quality of the audio. Thanks

  • @dontcrydoomer4787
    @dontcrydoomer47875 күн бұрын

    "perhaps they were lovers" ... yeah, I doubt it XD

  • @krishanuchattopadhyay7006
    @krishanuchattopadhyay70062 жыл бұрын

    India is first to travel on sea!!

  • @odishabandhu
    @odishabandhu9 күн бұрын

    Kalinga

  • @timbrickman8716
    @timbrickman87162 жыл бұрын

    Very nice maps, but at 724 should say Newfoundland not Nova Scotia.

  • @drphosferrous
    @drphosferrous Жыл бұрын

    7000 years? we have boats older than that, don't we?

  • @chaitanyadandale4569
    @chaitanyadandale45692 жыл бұрын

    There is no asian history for it?

  • @dbz_feats7723

    @dbz_feats7723

    2 жыл бұрын

    This video is just Eurocentric

  • @chaitanyadandale4569

    @chaitanyadandale4569

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@dbz_feats7723 surely. Check out odd compass he gives quite a few videos on maritime history of Asia

  • @us3rG

    @us3rG

    10 ай бұрын

    The problem with the west is they forget east. East learns about east and west

  • @martinan22
    @martinan22 Жыл бұрын

    The Vikings were just another expression of a Scandinavian sea faring tradition that was thousands of years old. If you go back to the Nordic Bronze age, the most common motif of Scandinavian petroglyphs was the ship. The stone ships you show date back to 1000 BC and earlier, so when the Vikings did something similar it was a practice that was 2000 years old.

  • @WorldHistoryEncyclopedia

    @WorldHistoryEncyclopedia

    Жыл бұрын

    Thanks for watching! 🙂

  • @aniime6463
    @aniime64633 жыл бұрын

    Chola dynasty maritime and architecture they ruled conquered entire south east asia and spread hinduism who build magnificent structures like angkor wat borubudur

  • @krishanuchattopadhyay7006

    @krishanuchattopadhyay7006

    2 жыл бұрын

    Yes!! Jai Chola dynasty

  • @dbz_feats7723
    @dbz_feats77232 жыл бұрын

    Too Eurocentric

  • @dirtbikerman1000

    @dirtbikerman1000

    Жыл бұрын

    Is Kuwait in Europe?????

  • @akhost3929

    @akhost3929

    Жыл бұрын

    How?

  • @astienperez2369
    @astienperez23692 жыл бұрын

    History books say Africans origin started as slaves u saying nothing different smh, blacks been in america before Musa mansa the richest man ever from Mali Africa and moors taught most of Europe knowledge when black ppl met white ppl they were sleeping in barns with animals and thought cleaning was dirty, asians aboriginal Australians and Africans traveled by sea 1st, Africans sailed the whole globe and settled in warm weather followed by asians who took up most cold climates in north America. Christopher Columbus got here he said the natives were black and indegenous

  • @IrishCinnsealach

    @IrishCinnsealach

    2 жыл бұрын

    😂😂 oh you poor deluded fool. The Moors taught most of Europe. The Moors were majority Arabs and got no further than northern Spain. They taught us how to clean. Funny that considering the Romans built ancient baths 600 years before the Moors ever arrived. The Moors had all the Greek and Roman literature translated. They built their first mosque on top of a Christian cathedral. Africans sailed the globe. No africans migrated to Eurasia and that's it. Then you say Asians took up cold climates. The Asian far East is hot it's known as the land of the rising sun. The Moors were conquered by Romans before Islam existed and gave the the name Mauri. The Greeks built the great temples in honour of their gods thousands of years before the Moors. The Romans built the great aqueduct and the coliseum a thousand years before the Moors. The holy Roman empire ruled Europe at that time of the Moors. Get an education you simpleton

  • @IrishCinnsealach

    @IrishCinnsealach

    2 жыл бұрын

    And Columbus didn't say the natives were black or indigenous. He described their physical appearance and their Straight black hair he already knew what Africans looked like so why did he call them Indians? Because he thought he was in indiy

  • @astienperez2369

    @astienperez2369

    2 жыл бұрын

    @@IrishCinnsealach Africans got all type of hair and skin color and Christopher Columbus said they were dark. tainos were dark natives to puerto Rico, tainos come from African and indegenous ppl of the amazon.

  • @zairatulumierah9436

    @zairatulumierah9436

    Жыл бұрын

    This is the most stupid theory i ever heard,African american come here as slaves.Australian oborigines the first people out of africa not by sea.There is only land connected between Sahul Australia,Asia,africa in ancient time

  • @PaulStClair-or3gj
    @PaulStClair-or3gj12 күн бұрын

    Boats are very important forms of transport. Remember.... LAND WAS CREATED TO SAIL FROM. ⛵⚓