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Ancient port discovered in Egypt
Archaeologists working in Egypt have discovered a harbor on the Red Sea that was used for international trade.
The excavation at Mersa Gawasis has revealed traces of an ancient harbor. It's long been known that the Egyptians traded down the coast of Africa, but the location of their embarkation was unknown. A famous carving at Deir el-Bahari, the temple of Queen Hatshepsut, shows an ocean-going vessel like the one pictured above and scenes a land with thatched huts and exotic items for sale such as ivory and giraffes. Inscriptions identify the land as Punt but don't mention where it is. Archaeologists have speculated that it was in the Horn of Africa, either in Eritrea or Djibouti, or where the modern unrecognized states of Somaliland or Puntland are today.
The first recorded voyages to Punt started in the reign of the Pharaoh Sahure, who ruled from 2487-2475 BC. Regular trading missions were sent out for centuries to buy exotic items for Egypt's elite. Queen Hatshepsut's famous engravings of Punt date to around 1490-1460 BC.
Scholars have traditionally been doubtful of the Egyptians' ability to make long sea voyages. Further excavation at Mersa Gawasis may change this view and open up new possibilities for Egyptian influence on other ancient cultures. While the excavations at Mersa Gawasis are not yet open to public view, Deir el-Bahari is a popular attraction and you can wonder at the scenes depicting the mysterious land of Punt for yourself.
[Photo courtesy Wikimedia Commons]
Filed under: History, Learning, Africa, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Somalia, Middle East
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Byron Pierre Aug 1st 2011 10:07AM
The writer of this article stated the following:
"Scholars have traditionally been doubtful of the Egyptians' ability to make long sea voyages".
The above is a traditional racially-bent European depicting of any achievements of anyone from the African continent.
This term of using so-called "scholars" should actually have been correctly written as "European Scholars" as there are factually "scholars" from other continents whose findings have always been blatantly suppressed by these radical racists from the European circle.
Even in this present day and age, their still exist a majority of Europeans and descandants thereof who have been kept in the dark about factual history by their own people and nevertheless will continue to be kept in the dark until Jesus returns and open their eyes.
Will wonders ever cease?
Byron Pierre Aug 1st 2011 7:08AM
(Corrections:)
The writer of this article stated the following:
"Scholars have traditionally been doubtful of the Egyptians' ability to make long sea voyages".
The above is a traditional racially-bent European malicious distortions of factual history in discreding any achievements of anyone from the African continent.
This term of using so-called "scholars" should actually have been correctly written as "European Scholars" as there are factually "scholars" from other continents whose findings have always been blatantly suppressed by these radical racists from the European circle.
Even in this present day and age, there still exist a majority of Europeans and descandants thereof who have been kept in the dark about factual history by their own people and nevertheless will continue to be kept in the dark until Jesus returns and open their eyes.
Will wonders ever cease?
roro Aug 1st 2011 7:27AM
The saying is: "Will wonders 'never' cease"?
DanJay Aug 1st 2011 7:43AM
You are not the only one to spot that racial bias among scholars. In 1963, when I was a freshman majoring in Biology at Langston University in Oklahoma, we had a "Science and Life" week in which visiting scholars discussed the Theory of Evolution. They upheld the white male with a degree from Oxford or Cambridge as the supreme "end-product" of evolution. By implication, non-whites and non-educated people were not "fully evolved." While I have no problem with the theory itself. I do have problems with its intended applications as "Social Darwinism, Eugenics, and other "scientific" ideologies. When I was in my teens, our family doctor led a local movement to have me castrated for the "eugenic flaw" of having a brown father and a white mother. My white mother actively killed that scheme - disproving, by the ways the theory of another scientist named Freud.
Lisa Aug 1st 2011 8:18AM
You couldn't pay me enough to go to any country in the Middle East right now.
iris lefler Aug 1st 2011 10:09AM
Whiteguy seems to be one of those 'whitepeople', who never evolved past racism. For your information, most of the black populated countries are led by poorly organized political systems that oppress most of the people. One African president was found guilty of having his wife cash in hoards of gold, meanwhile millions of their people were starving and war was raging, no food could be delivered, or water or medical help.
I have known many a scholar with black skin and many with other colours of skin that could prove that you my dear are the uneducated one, and certainly never to become a rocket scientist. Just a racist bigot with a pea brain.
PAPA Aug 1st 2011 10:09AM
IT BOTHERS ME ABOUT RACISMS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE FENCE. WE ALL KNOW THAT EACH AND EVERY COLORED SKIN HAS THEIR INTELLECTUAL ABILITIES.IT IS POOR JUDGEMENT ON BOTH SIDES TO SAY WHAT HAPPENEDAND WHEN. AS A CHRISTIAN SONG GOES, RED AND YELLOW BLACK AND WHITE GODS CHILDREN ARE PRECIOUS TO HIS SIGHT.
Ammitt Aug 1st 2011 9:20AM
It has been my dream since I was 6 to visit egypt. MY dream was put on hold till I retired, NOW, the country there is so screwed up I doulbt I will ever see it except through surfing the network, or going to some museum which has stolen its artifacts from said country....
Bobbb Aug 1st 2011 10:20AM
Map?
Gary Aug 1st 2011 11:36AM
"You are not the only one to spot that racial bias among scholars."..............Apparently you don't get out much. All cultures consider themselves superior. The all bend perception to think they are the height of existence. For instance, the Japanese think that Japan is the land of the Gods - pretty vain, don't you think? The also think that everyon else is inferior. It's a natural human behavior. If your culture dominates other cultures you will assume you are superior. If you are dominated, you will assume you were cheated. Big deal. The Russians still think they won the cold war because they are racially superior.
dscat1029 Aug 1st 2011 11:13AM
Friends of mine vacationed in the Middle East a few years ago and said this, If you ever want to travel back in time, this is the area to visit. Besides some modern type apparatus and buildings, there's nothing 21st century at all. It's like giving a cell phone and computer to Neandethals. Their government and thought process keeps them in that stae of mind...
wayne Aug 1st 2011 2:17PM
you dont have to leave this country to find that
visit parts of alabama,mississippi,you would swear you left the u.s.
prtreag Aug 1st 2011 10:49AM
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Thanh T. Aug 2nd 2011 10:29AM
The study of Ancient Egypt is fascinating.
In ancient Egypt, the era of 2686 to 2181 BC was considered “The Old Kingdom” period and “The Age of the Pyramid Builders.”
Boats were carved out of wood and had a significant role in ancient Egyptian society and funerary beliefs. The old Pharaohs had boats buried near them to guide their journey through the afterlife.
Hunters near the Nile used papyrus boats to capture birds and collect lotus blossom. Papyrus (tall grassy stem plants) and lotus flowers were important symbols in Egypt during “The Old Kingdom” period.
King Neferikare whom ruled ancient Egypt from 2475-2455 BC after Pharaoh Sahure had construction plans for a larger pyramid than King Sahure but his pyramid was never finished.
King Neferikare’s tomb-pyramid would have held important clues if ancient Egyptian waterways-sea ports were used for other purposes. Tombs throughout the Old and New Kingdom periods would have held important clues also.
Interesting history and recent developments...
(I have some old books on Egypt but have not traveled there before. Like many students of history, I would like to visit the ancient museums-centers someday. )
Reference: Ancient Egypt, Kingdom of the Pharaohs.
HAI Dec 5th 2012 2:45AM
I wish i could go to egyptain one of my friends lived there