{"id":26111,"date":"2023-07-13T06:23:37","date_gmt":"2023-07-13T04:23:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/beta.cycladic.gr\/essay\/%ce%b7-%ce%b8%ce%b1%ce%bb%ce%ac%cf%83%cf%83%ce%b9%ce%b1-%ce%b5%cf%80%ce%b9%ce%ba%ce%bf%ce%b9%ce%bd%cf%89%ce%bd%ce%af%ce%b1-%ce%b5%ce%bc%cf%80%cf%8c%cf%81%ce%b9%ce%bf-%cf%83%cf%84%ce%b9%cf%82-%ce%ba\/"},"modified":"2023-11-22T14:44:29","modified_gmt":"2023-11-22T12:44:29","slug":"i-thalassia-epikoinonia-eborio-stis-k","status":"publish","type":"essay","link":"https:\/\/cycladic.gr\/en\/essay\/i-thalassia-epikoinonia-eborio-stis-k\/","title":{"rendered":"Maritime communication and trade"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Maritime communication and trade<\/h1>

CYCLADIC ART<\/p> <\/header>

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EARLY CYCLADIC LONGBOATS<\/h2> <\/header>\n\n \n
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The discovery of obsidian on Melos island, in the cave of Frachthi in Argolida, confirms that people were traveling between islands in the Aegean as early as 11000 BC. Some of the earliest known depictions of ships have been found in the Cyclades, and are mainly found as engravings on vases, as petroglyphs in Neolithic settlements, and as three-dimensional clay or lead models.<\/p>\n

One of the types of vessels that bear these representations are the so-called \u201cfrying-pans,\u201d from the Early Cycladic cemetery of Chalandriani on Syros island. There is no doubt that \u00a0the\u00a0 representations on these vessels are able to tell us something about the long history of shipbuilding and navigation in the Aegean. The typical seafaring vessels were paddled longboats with a high bow (or stern, according to others), usually crowned by a fish.<\/p>\n\n \n <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n

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\u201cFrying pan\u201d depicting a paddled longboat\n2700 – 2400 BC<\/div>
Photo Paris Tavitian \nFrom the exhibition Cycladic Society. 5000 years ago<\/em>, 2016\n\u00a9 Museum of Cycladic Art<\/div><\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n\n \n \n<\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n
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NAVIGATION<\/h2> <\/header>\n\n \n
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\n Much has been said about the design and possible use of these vessels, as well as their importance in our broader understanding of the technological evolution and intensification of interactions during the Early Bronze Age in the Aegean. \n <\/div>\n \n \n<\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n
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Research has shown that there was probably a wide variety of vessels and that their movement would have required the participation of a significant number of people. The discovery of a similar ship incised on a potsherd from the Early Helladic Orchomenos seems to confirm that these ships would have required large crews in order to move. Although their function is very difficult to assess, especially since the evidence is based solely on schematic representations, experimental archaeology and ethnographic correlations (i.e., comparing the archaeological data with information that we have about other cultures) provide us with very useful information. As such, archaeologists have hypothesized that the Cycladic ships could cross most of the Aegean Sea in about two weeks with a crew of 15 to 20 people and a cargo of about one ton.<\/p>\n

The presence of the so-called \u201cfrying-pans\u201d in rich burials, in combination with their elaborate decoration \u2013 often including a vulva, ships, sea, sun \u2013 suggests that they had a symbolic importance for the members of island societies during the period.<\/p>\n\n \n <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n

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01<\/div>
Representation of a \u201cfrying pan\u201d depicting a paddled longboat, National Archaeological Museum \u03a04974. <\/div>
From: \u03a7. \u03a4\u03c3\u03bf\u03cd\u03bd\u03c4\u03b1\u03c2, \u00ab\u039a\u03c5\u03ba\u03bb\u03b1\u03b4\u03b9\u03ba\u03ac \u0399\u0399\u00bb \u0391\u0395<\/i>, 1899, 86 fig. 11<\/div><\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n\n \n \n \n\n
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02<\/div>
Representation of a ship incised on a potsherd, Orchomenos, 2700 \u2013 2300 BC, Archaeological Museum of Chaeronea 1793<\/div>
\u00a9Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sports\/ Ephorate of Antiquities of Boeotia\/ H.O.C.RE.D. \r\nPhoto Kostas Xenikakis<\/div><\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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01<\/div>
Representation of a \u201cfrying pan\u201d depicting a paddled longboat, National Archaeological Museum \u03a04974. <\/div>
From: \u03a7. \u03a4\u03c3\u03bf\u03cd\u03bd\u03c4\u03b1\u03c2, \u00ab\u039a\u03c5\u03ba\u03bb\u03b1\u03b4\u03b9\u03ba\u03ac \u0399\u0399\u00bb \u0391\u0395<\/i>, 1899, 86 fig. 11<\/div><\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n\n
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02<\/div>
Representation of a ship incised on a potsherd, Orchomenos, 2700 \u2013 2300 BC, Archaeological Museum of Chaeronea 1793<\/div>
\u00a9Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sports\/ Ephorate of Antiquities of Boeotia\/ H.O.C.RE.D. \r\nPhoto Kostas Xenikakis<\/div><\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n\n \n <\/div>\n
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