Contents
If you’re interested in maritime trade, you might be wondering which societies were most involved in it. Here’s a quick rundown of some of the most prolific maritime trading cultures in history.
Checkout this video:
The Phoenicians
The Phoenicians were an ancient maritime people from the Mediterranean region who engaged in extensive maritime trade. Phoenician ships were some of the first to venture out into open water, and they established a number of trade routes that allowed them to transport goods and people across the Mediterranean Sea. Phoenician traders were also responsible for introducing a number of new products, including glass and purple dye, to the cultures they came into contact with.
The Minoans
The Minoans were an ancient Greek society that engaged in extensive maritime trade. They were known for their beautiful art and architecture, as well as their unique system of writing, called Linear A. The Minoans flourished from 2600 to 1100 BC, but little is known about their eventual demise.
The Mycenaeans
The Mycenaeans were a society that engaged in extensive maritime trade. They were located in the Aegean region and their culture flourished from circa 1600 BCE to 1100 BCE. The Mycenaeans traded with many different cultures, including the Egyptians, the Minoans, and the Hittites. They also had contact with the cultures of the Cyclades and the Dodecanese islands. The Mycenaeans imported a wide variety of goods, including tin, gold, silver, ivory, amber, and spices.
The Olmecs
The Olmecs, who lived in present-day Mexico, were one of the first societies to engage in extensive maritime trade. They traded with other cultures in Mesoamerica, and theirboats carried goods up and down the coast. The Olmecs were also known for their art, which featured beautiful carvings of jaguars and other animals.
The Toltecs
The Toltecs were a Mesoamerican people who flourished in the Toltec Empire from the 10th to the 12th century. The Toltecs were known for their extensive maritime trade, which extended across the Gulf of Mexico and reached as far as Central America.
The Maya
The ancient Maya civilization was one of the most dominant societies in Mesoamerica for over two thousand years. The Maya were skilled agriculturists, architects, astronomers, and traders. They are perhaps best known for their extensive maritime trade network. The Maya engaged in maritime trade with other Mesoamerican societies, as well as with societies in North and South America.
The Aztecs
The Aztecs were a Mesoamerican civilization that flourished in central Mexico in the post-Classic period from 1300 to 1521. The Aztecs spoke Nahuatl, and Le Tuc de menace d’une tempête à proximité was their capital. At its peak, the Aztec Empire covered much of northern Mesoamerica, with its political and economic center in the Valley of Mexico, and extending from the Atlantic coast of Veracruz to the Pacific coast of Guatemala/Belize. The Aztec empire was famous for its extensive maritime trade routes, which facilitated commerce between cultures and resulted in the exchange of a wide variety of goods.
The Inca
The Inca were one of the most advanced civilizations of their time, and their culture was heavily influenced by their extensive maritime trade. The Inca built a vast network of roads and bridges that spanned the length and breadth of their empire, and they used these roads to transport goods and materials to and from their ports. The Inca also had a highly developed system of irrigation, which allowed them to grow crops in even the most arid regions of their empire.
The Moche
The Moche were a pre-Columbian society that engaged in extensive maritime trade. The Moche are best known for their elaborate pottery, which often depicts scenes of warfare, sacrifice, and daily life. The Moche dominated the northern coast of Peru from about 100 to700 AD.
The Chimu
The Chimu were a society that engaged in extensive maritime trade. They were located in what is now Peru, and their maritime trade extended throughout the region. The Chimu are known for their elaborate pottery, which was traded extensively.
