AiKop | It is said that if you understand these, you will understand the early history of human navigation

Since ancient times, the mysterious ocean has attracted human beings to explore and research.

Human beings have always dreamed of conquering the ocean, discovering new continents, finding more food and treasures, and opening up new commercial trades. So batches of sailors embarked on this sea adventure.

Today, let me take you to appreciate the early navigation feats of mankind.

Siberian hunters across the ocean

Although we cannot yet determine the earliest human seafaring activities, there is evidence that as early as 25,000 years ago, Siberian hunters crossed the Bering Strait, reached Alaska, and began to multiply in the Americas.

Image source: https://www.baidu.com/

Polynesians in a canoe

The brave Polynesians are one of the earliest human navigators. As early as 3,000-4,000 years ago, this group of people living on the Pacific islands were able to steer canoes across the Pacific and migrate from one island to another.

Image source: http://www.sohu.com/

Egyptians on the Nile

Egypt, an ancient civilization, conducted its first maritime expeditions as early as the construction of the pyramids. In the Predynastic Period more than 4,000 years ago, Egyptian merchants sailed on the sea in small boats made of papyrus stems.

Purple Phoenician

The Phoenicians are undoubtedly the greatest seafaring people in history. Between 1100 BC and 500 BC, the Phoenicians were already doing business in the Mediterranean. They built ships and exported them to Egypt and other regions. At the same time, they built giant paddle boats and began sailing far away from the coast.

The Greeks who dominated the Mediterranean

In the early 6th century BC, the Greeks had frequently traveled between the islands in the Mediterranean Sea, either to live or to trade. Of course, one of the important reasons why they dominated the Mediterranean was because of their three-decker oared warships.

Image source: http://www.sohu.com/

Romans sailing the seas of Europe, Asia and Africa

Around 30 BC, Roman ships were already frequenting the oceans of Europe, Asia and Africa. According to records, 120 Roman ships sailed out of the Red Sea and into the Indian Ocean every year.

Vikings

The early Vikings engaged in a large number of pirate activities, and their footprints on voyages covered the entire Europe. The Vikings' warships had a unique shape that resembled dragons and snakes, and were later collectively called "Viking longships", also known as "dragon ships".

Image source: https://image.baidu.com/

Arabs in the Indian Ocean

In the 8th century AD, the Arabs established major trading points on the trade routes along the eastern coast of the Indian Ocean. Their trading sailing ships were equipped with large triangular sails, which were very eye-catching in appearance and sailed downwind at extraordinary speeds.

The Chinese dominate the world's maritime stage

As one of the four ancient civilizations, China has a history of thousands of years in maritime industry. From ancient times to the 15th century, China's shipbuilding and navigation technologies were in the leading position in the world.

As early as the Han Dynasty, China had foreign maritime transportation and trade, and could sail to Japan, Korea, Southeast Asia and South Asian countries. In the Northern Song Dynasty, the invention of compass navigation greatly promoted the development of the shipping industry. During the Yongle period of the Ming Dynasty, Zheng He's voyages to the West were a feat in the history of world navigation.

Image source: http://www.lishiquwen.com/

The Egyptians, Phoenicians, Romans and others were all shining stars in the history of world navigation. But no country has dominated the world's navigation stage from beginning to end and has lasted for a long time like China.