Ancient Canaan & The Phoenicians

Canaan Two groups formed small kingdoms in this land: Lies at the eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea, in an area shared today by Lebanon & Israel. In ancient times, this area connected Egypt and Mesopotamia Soldiers, shepherds, and merchants transported goods & ideas Two groups formed small kingdoms in this land: Phoenicians and Hebrews Both groups interested in trade & learning

The Phoenicians (est @ 1830 B.C.E.) Most information comes from: The Bible writings of other ancient peoples the ruins of their ships and cities

Two different groups: Canaanites Philistines from the desert south & east of Canaan wandering herders Philistines eastern Mediterranean near Greece traders & shipbuilders

Sea-Based Trade Land could not grow enough food for all people, so Phoenicians turned to the sea Used cedar wood to build strong, fast ships Sea-based trade Traded: cedar logs, cloth, glass trinkets, perfume For items such as: Egypt: gold & other metals, papyrus, linen Mesopotamia: pottery Cyprus: copper & animal hides

Phoenician Trade Routes

Used the sun & stars for navigation Signed peace treaties with larger & more powerful neighbors

Cities of Phoenicia Phoenicia was a collection of independent city-states- it never became a united country. Largest city-states were: Tyre, Byblos, Beirut, and Sidon Spoke the same language & practiced the same religion, but did not always get along Ruled by kings, then councils of merchants

City structure: surrounded by large stone wall for protection many merchant & artisan shops (esp carpenters, cabinet-makers, metalworkers) Very crowded: narrow streets & packed buildings Ports located outside the walls were the center of all activity

Cloth-dying centers Phoenician means “purple merchants” Legend of Melqart

Carthage Sailors set up trading posts & colonies (permanent settlements) that later turned into cities along coast of N. Africa Carthage founded in 814 B.C.E. in present-day Tunisia Became a powerful trading city Legend of the Phoenician princess Dido

Gods & Goddesses Believed in many gods who were tied closely to nature Built temples to worship entrance, main hall, and holy of holies made sacrifices of wine, perfume, animals, and humans only priests could offer sacrifices Life after death at first buried in clay urns (ornamental vases) later influenced by Egyptians: embalmed, wrapped, buried bodies

The Alphabet Phoenicians did not invent the alphabet, but they did pass it on through trade to other cultures Used picture system at first, but difficult for trading Borrowed a simple version of Egyptian hieroglyphics from the people of the Canaanite towns to the south 22 symbols or letters used to form words Borrowed & evolved: Phoenicians to Greeks to Romans… eventually English!