- Title: SYRIA: Phoenician ship being built to lauch African expedition
- Date: 30th May 2008
- Summary: (MER-1) ARWAD ISLAND, SYRIA (MAY 27, 2008) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF ARWAD ISLAND PORT PHOENICIAN-STYLE SHIP BEING BUILT BANNER READING (in English): "ARWAD - THE HOME OF PHOENICIA" PHOENICIAN SHIP VARIOUS OF SHIPWRIGHT AT WORK MORE OF SHIP PROJECT SUPERVISOR ORWA ABU BAKER TALKING TO REPORTER (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) ORWA ABOU BKER, PROJECT SUPERVISOR, SAYING: "They asked me abou
- Embargoed: 14th June 2008 13:00
- Keywords:
- Topics: History,Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
- Reuters ID: LVA2USJY9DX6HQQZ773W4UBJKW4E
- Story Text: An ancient Phoenician ship being built on the Syrian island of Arwad is due to be launched in August and recreate the first circumnavigation of the coast of Africa, believed to have been achieved by the Phoenicians in 600 BC.
International historians, geographers and archaeologists will take part in the months-long expedition, supported by the British Royal Geographical Society.
A Phoenician ship expedition is to set sail from the ancient island of Arwad on the coast of Syria in August 2008, retracing a path taken by maritime traders around the African continent more than two thousand years ago.
Modern day Syria, Lebanon, Israel and the Palestinian territories were the heartland of Phoenician civilisation from 1550 BC to 300 BC, whose famous city-state ports of Arka, Arwad, Berut (Beirut), Botrys (Batroun), Gebal (Byblos), Safita and Sarepta (Sarafand) served as their launchpads to world exploration.
Other colonies would soon dot the Mediterranean basin, located in what are now Algeria, Cyprus, Italy, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Spain, Portugal, Tunisia and Turkey.
Supported by the Royal Geographical Society, the British Museum and a host of independent international archaeologists and explorers, the "Phoenicia" will recreate what is believed to have been the first circumnavigation of Africa by Phoenician sailors in 600 BC.
The fifty foot vessel (15.24 metres) is being built by local shipwrights on Arwad using traditional Phoenician construction methods and materials.
"They asked me about shipbuilding techniques in Arwad. Soon after, they asked me to take them to the shipyard. Two months later, they gave me plans for the construction of a Phoenician ship with the exact specifications of ships that were built in 600 BC," said Orwa Abou Bker, the "Phoenicia" project supervisor.
"We have been building these ships for a very long time so we know a bit more than others how to do it because it requires both traditional and modern techniques," said Arwad shipyard owner Mohamad al-Hamoud.
The "Phoenicia" is expected to spend up to 10 months at sea traversing a distance of 17,000 miles (27,358 kilometres).
British adventurer Philip Beale will lead the multi-national expedition through the Suez canal, down the east African Cape of Good Hope until the southern tip of the continent, then upwards back to the Mediterranean sea.
Another voyage is scheduled from the summer of 2009, to bring the "Phoenicia" to the UK, where it will be displayed at the British Museum.
In their time, the Phoenicians were regarded as the "rulers of the sea," and their trading activities extended as far West as Cornwall for tin, and eastwards to India and China for spices and precious goods.
In addition to their maritime feats, the Phoenicians are credited with creating and disseminating the world's first alphabet, discovering the use of stars in navigation, as well as inventing glass and dye. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None