Bronze Age Sailing

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Monganaut M
Monganaut Jul 22, 2019 12:04:48
Replying to Zariadris

Hey, thanks for that fascinating summery of the regions links to the Argonauts, trade and traditions. I'd not heard of the Vishap stones...will have to google for some images. During the Roman period, the bull cult of Mithras was an important deity for many soldiers (they found remains of a Mithraeum up on Hadrians Wall, as well as one in London) and is thought to have beein imported from the eastern regions, I think Persia/Syria was mentioned, but I guess, places like Armenia/Georgia etc could have carried out similar bull worshipping as well. I know the bull was important religiously to the Minoans as well, and of course, there is still bull running in Spain.

I guess, much like bronze/iron age western Europe, hides fleeces and meat/bones are all important traded commodities. In the historical overview of Tim Severin's book (and in The Odyssey) wine seems almost as important as everything else. I'm presupposing it's for the same reasons beer was important to many early cultures being a safe source of drinkable liquid. It's mentioned that in ancient times wine was mixed with water, so taken differently to how most Europeans quoff it these days. Also, the black wine of the Thracian region seemed to be especially valued at the time, being very potent (it was what the put the cyclops to sleep with)...so maybe not so different to us these days after all :)

At one point during the recreated voyage, the Argo crew come across black beaches so rich in iron/ iron ore that the sand can be picked up with a magnet, even after all this time. Tim Severin's hypothesis is that some of the earliest iron smelting and export were probably important parts of this particular trade route too.

Z Zariadris
Zariadris Jul 22, 2019 16:58:48
Replying to Monganaut

Hey Monganaut,

Thanks as usual for the informative posts and replies. I have a book chapter on vishaps to be published as part of a monograph on the subject later this summer with lots of illustrations which I can send your way when ready. And by the way, I thanked you - and this here forum - in my acknowledgements for the help you provided. All those links/posts you put up some months ago regarding Neolithic seafaring, migrations, etc. were inspiring and really invaluable in my research. Cheers.

I'll look forward to watching the film you linked to.

Your thoughts on ancient trade routes and wares are very interesting. Indeed, people and goods were moving about in remote prehistory in ways most don't realize. The portion of what would become the silk road that runs through Armenia passes by some key Bronze Age megalithic sites, which recalls Burl's observations of stone circles in Britain appearing along the routes of the ax trade. Goods - and ideas - got around.

With regards to wine and spirits, one of the earliest references to beer drinking is mentioned in the 5th century by Xenophon in his Anabasis, when the retreating Greeks were obliged to winter in Armenia among the locals who lived in subterranean dwellings. He describes local Armenian beer ("barley wine") thus: "There were stored wheat, barley, vegetables, and barley wine in the craters (clay pots). In upper level of vessels with the edges in the wine floated barley, and there was stuck a reed, large and small sizes and who wanted to drink, had to take a reed in his mouth and pull it through the wine. Not mixed with water, the wine was very strong, but for local people it was a very pleasant drink"

Bottoms Up!