indian ocean

[batface]

Is there any evidence that the ancient egyptians sailed out in the
Indian Ocean?

[JTEM]

Post by batface
Is there any evidence that the ancient egyptians
sailed out in the Indian Ocean?

Depends.

There's certainly no shortage of evidence for sea trade
between India & Egypt in what was still ancient times.
Though it might be more accurate to say that the trade
was between Rome & India, with Egypt just a middle
man.

Here's a link that pushes it back to 250 B.C., still
ancient times but well after Egypt's golden age:

http://nabataea.net/redsea.html

I came across the above looking for something on this:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4970452.stm

Anyhow, ask one of the smart people -- I have a terrible
memory and I'm awful with names -- but there was a
legendary city that Hatshepsut bragged about sending
an expedition to. The name of the city (or place) crops
up elsewhere in Egyptian writing as well... and I can't
recall what it was named.

Most put this city in Africa, somewhere south (or
southwest) of Egypt, though maybe it was in India?
Certainly that would be worth bragging about!

[John Dawson]

Post by JTEM

Post by batface
Is there any evidence that the ancient egyptians
sailed out in the Indian Ocean?

[snip]

Post by JTEM
Anyhow, ask one of the smart people -- I have a terrible
memory and I'm awful with names -- but there was a
legendary city that Hatshepsut bragged about sending
an expedition to. The name of the city (or place) crops
up elsewhere in Egyptian writing as well... and I can't
recall what it was named.
Most put this city in Africa, somewhere south (or
southwest) of Egypt, though maybe it was in India?
Certainly that would be worth bragging about!

It was the land of Punt. AIUI the expedition stayed in sight of land
throughout the trip to and from Punt, somewhere in the Horn of Africa.
My source, one of the Great Egyptians series of documentaries shown on
TV, suggested they did not have experience of navigating away from
land at that time. Why they had not learned that, from the Minoans for
example with whom they clearly traded, was not explained.

John D.

[JTEM]

Post by John Dawson
It was the land of Punt.

Thank you!

Post by John Dawson
AIUI the expedition stayed in sight of land throughout
the trip to and from Punt, somewhere in the Horn of
Africa.

Yeah. I recall that it was always placed somewhere in
Africa. But the details are wrong or missing quite a bit,
so it at least leaves things open to speculation.

This isn't exactly releated, but it does establish that trade
with India existed prior to 275 BC:

http://www.archbase.com/berenike/english3.html

This one sets back trade -- though it doesn't say where --
much, much further:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indus_Valley_Civilization

Some details:

http://www.harappa.com/lothal/index.html

I'm not stating any conclusions, simply raising it as a
distinct possibility.