chapter 6.1 the phoenicians
DESCRIPTION
Chapter 6.1 The Phoenicians. World History Grade 8. Canaan. Strip of land that connected ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia Ideas and goods were carried across it Part of modern day Lebanon and Israel Two groups settled there and created small kingdoms – the Phoenicians and the Hebrews - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
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