Using boats and technology of the time in the same seas the ancient people plied for trade and migration is an invaluable tool to demonstrate what was and not possible. With the movement of people came ideas, innovation and technological progress. The coasts of Anatolia were the crucible where many of these ancient sea-faring people flourished and declined and no doubt their mastery of the seas was part of this historical roll-off dice.
This lecture will highlight some of my past voyages in reed boats to demonstrate the movement of people in the dawn of civilisation in this cross-road of the early people from whom we are descended. Dominique Görlit’s recent project this summer was to sail the ABORA IV, a totora reed boat, from Varna in present-day Bulgarian Black Sea coast passing through Istanbul, Athens, Crete sailing towards Alexandria, distance approx. 3.000 km, as revealed in ancient Egyptian texts. This boat will soon be preserved following a generous proposal of the Turkish government to house this vessel at a museum in Patara, south-western Turkey.
Dominique Görlitz is a German experimental archaeologist, vegetation geographer, author, filmmaker and lecturer at the Global Top Speakers.