World HistoryGrade 8

Chapter 6.1The Phoenicians

Strip of land that connected ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia

Ideas and goods were carried across it Part of modern day Lebanon and IsraelTwo groups settled there and created small

kingdoms – the Phoenicians and the HebrewsThe Phoenicians lived in the northern section

Canaan

Canaan

Largely a peaceful civilizationInterested in trade and learningMost of what is known of them comes from

the Bible, writings of other ancient peoples, and the ruins of their cities and ships

Originated from a group of people known as the Canaanites, herders who came from the desert south and east of Canaan

The Phoenicians

By 1200 BC, cities had been built along a narrow strip of land between the mountains and sea

Even though the soil was rich, the amount of food grown could not feed all the people

Many Phoenicians turned to the sea to make a living

Nearby mountains had strong cedar trees, which were used to build fast ships

The Growth of Trade

Many Phoenicians started out as coastal traders

Eventually they controlled trade on the Mediterranean Sea

Traded cedar logs, cloth, glass trinkets, and perfume for gold and other metals

Many of their ships were floating workshops, workers could bring their tools and work aboard the ship

Trade

Sailors explored and plotted courses by using the sun and stars

Traveled to places nobody else would dare to go

Brought Middle Eastern culture to unexplored areas of the western Mediterranean

Possibly sailed around Africa to reach IndiaPossibly sailed across the Atlantic Ocean to

the Americas

Trade

They learned the value of making agreementsSurrounded by larger, more powerful

civilizationsCreated peace treaties

Agreements between states or countriesPromised to supply free shipments of goodsThe other countries promised to let

Phoenicians remain independent

Trade

Phoenicia was never a united countrySplit in 2 by mountainsStayed a collection of independent city-statesLargest were Tyre, Byblos, Beirut, and Sidon

The city-states spoke the same language and practiced the same religion but sometimes argued over profit, trade, and resources

Phoenicians identified themselves by their city-state, other civilizations called them “Phoenicians”

Phoenician Cities

Originally ruled by a king who was also the city-state’s high priestPower was then shared with wealthy merchant

familiesEventually the merchant families told the kings

what to doMost cities were surrounded by large stone

wallsShops were inside the city walls

Lots of carpenters and cabinetmakers due to abundant lumber

Metalwork was learned from the Egyptians and Mesopotamians

Cities

Cities were very crowdedNarrow streetsBuildings close togetherStone or brick buildings, some with roof

gardensHigh and narrow doors and windows

Port was outside of city and center of activityGoods were stored in great warehousesPapyrus, gold, and linen from EgyptPottery from MesopotamiaCopper and hides from Cyprus

Cities

Cities were important cloth-dyeing centersPhoenician means “of purple merchants”Purple dye made from murex – a shellfish

Cities

Polytheistic – gods & goddesses were closely tied with nature

At first only worshiped on hills and under trees

Eventually built templesEach had an entrance, a main hall, and a holy

of holies, or most sacred chamber, where a sacred stone of the god was kept

Sacrifices of wine, perfume, animals, and even people were made on a stone altar

Only priests could sacrificeThought to keep the gods friendly and strong

Religion

Believed in life after deathOriginally buried their dead in

clay urnsEventually borrowed

mummification from Egypt and placed their dead in stone coffins in hillside cemeteries

Religion

Trading posts and colonies – or permanent settlements – along the coast of North Africa

The most powerful became CarthageGreat trading cityShips from Carthage may have sailed to the

British Isles to find tin

Carthage

Originally used a system of picture writingDifficult to keep trade records

Borrowed simple version of Egyptian hieroglyphics and turned it into an alphabet

22 symbols, or lettersMuch easier to keep trade records

Carried it to other culturesThe Greeks borrowed it and made some

changes, then the RomansOur language is based on the Roman

alphabet

The Alphabet