The Ancient Mariners Of The Mediterranean And Ming Dynasty China: A Comparison Of Seafaring In The Ancient World

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seafarers of the Mediterranean and those of the Ming Dynasty China emerge to become the great lords of the sea? This essay shall explore this question as well as these equally important ones: Who were these seafarers? Where did they sail? What did they do? How did the sail? How were their ventures organized? And why did they go to sea? But in order to fully understand how these questions apply to these two sea peoples, we must look at the cultures themselves to determine how each was called to the sea.

It has been said that the study of world maritime history is really a study of different cultures. These various cultures determine not only why a particular civilization goes to sea, but also when, where, how, and who does so. Unlike Ming China, the Mediterranean is and does consist of many different cultures. Over the centuries, because of these varying cultures and the struggles that erupted over desired resources, the Mediterranean has also come under the domination ...

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for myrrh and frankincense for ceremonies increased. However, these products were derived from trees that grew in only two places; Ethiopia and Somalia. This and later pharaohs derived these trading enterprises by developing ports along the Red Sea to assist traders in moving these and other goods down into Somalia or Ethiopia and back again. They discovered that a sea route would offer an alternative to overland transport. This venture made it possible for the Egyptian sailors to bring in these goods more cheaply, quickly and efficiently.

Though Egypt would be the first major trading nation, they were not the first true maritime power in the Mediterranean. This honor went to ...

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