"Whither sailest thou?" Origins and destinations in the archaeosphere of the Red Sea

Abstract

The Red Sea is a deep rift between Africa and Asia, yet asan aquatic “highway” it links Europe to the Indian Oceanworld. While the existence of Greco-Roman trade downthe Red Sea to the wider eastern world is relatively wellknown,we are still investigating the harbors and destinationpoints along the shores of the Red Sea. Understandingthe geographical, and indeed geological, aspect ofthe sea is a key factor in the finding of ancient harborsand anchorages. Coupled with this is the need to discernthe technology of the maritime tools — navigation, ship-building technology, sailing practices — of the variouseras and cultures of the Red Sea.This paper explores these aspects through the growingbody of evidence and theory of Red Sea maritime endeavors, as well as by the author’s own archaeologicalinvestigations in Eritrea and Saudi Arabia.