SYRIA: The Phoenician ship ends its voyage in Arwad Island

Record ID: 278868

  • Title: SYRIA: The Phoenician ship ends its voyage in Arwad Island
  • Date: 25th October 2010
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (English) ALICE CHUTTER, PROJECT MANAGER, SAYING: "It took them two years to complete the voyage and they are aiming to prove that the Phoenicians could have achieved the first circumnavigation in Africa around 650 BC,"
  • Embargoed: 9th November 2010 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
  • Reuters ID: LVACKLSYP9OOFSVESA3637BNGP6E
  • Story Text: A Phoenician ship which set sail two years ago from Syria to recreate the first circumnavigation of Africa by Phoenician sailors in 600 BC, finished its voyage on Saturday (October 23, 2010) in the Syrian island of Arwad, its initial port of departure in 2008.
    A celebration welcomed the Phoenicia back home where it was handmade by Syrian Khaled Mohamed Hamoud and his brothers in Arwad, located near the port city of Tartous.
    Alice Chutter, project manager of Phoenicia, said the main aim of the voyage was to prove Phoenicians were the first to travel to Africa.
    "It took them two years to complete the voyage and they are aiming to prove that the Phoenicians could have achieved the first circumnavigation in Africa around 650 BC," said Chutter.
    Some 16 crew members were aboard the 50-foot (15.24 metre) vessel when it sailed off onto its maritime adventure.
    The crew faced some difficulties during the voyage, said Stephanie, a British crew member. The main sail split so crew members had to change it in order to continue the trip successfully.
    "We had a couple of some quiet heavy weather coming around the Cave of the Good Hope and the main sail split and we had to change it. So when the ship was coming down through the Indian Ocean it had to divert to avoid some pirates," she said.
    The voyage was dependant upon wind patterns as the ship had no engine and sailed in the traditional method as during the Phoenician period.
    Clinton Clements, another crew member, said it was an experience that taught him to be patient and wait for the right wind.
    "Well, I got a small sense of what it would've been like for a Phoenician to sail out in the wide oceans. You definitely need a lot of patience because you got to wait for the right winds and it is not always the winds in your favour, so I mean I learned of patience and waiting for the wind basically," he said.
    Modern day Syria, Lebanon, Israel and the Palestinian territories were the heartland of Phoenician civilisation from 1550 BC to 300 BC. Their famous city-state ports of Arka, Arwad, Berut (Beirut), Botrys (Batroun), Gebal (Byblos), Safita and Sarepta (Sarafand) served as launch pads to world exploration.
    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.
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