Nautical Dominion Necklace: Heroism, Exploration, Trade - Part 2/2
This blog post is the continuation of the inspiration and story behind my Nautical Dominion Necklace. This statement necklace is colorful and interesting as it features several museum quality reproduction Greek & Roman Coins as well as ancient symbols of art & culture. I have a few photos of it below for you.
The Mediterranean and in particular the eastern part of it referred to as the Aegean sea has been the center of colonization and trade since the ancient times. This gorgeous blue sea is surrounded by fertile lands, which facilitated the desire for exploration for ages. Nautical Dominion Necklace is inspired by the Aegean sea and the times of heroism, exploration and blossoming civilizations of the Mediterranean.
Ancient Greeks began colonizing quite early during the "Geometric Period", of about 900 to 700 B.C. Many essential aspects of the Greek culture including city states, sanctuaries and Greek alphabet were developed during that time. It is known that the "stinginess" or the "tightness of the Greek soil fueled the need for colonization and trade. Commonly exchanged trade goods of the time were olive oil, pottery, wine, metals, pork, cheese, perfumes, glass, barley, wheat, rungs and ivory. Trade and colonization resulted not only in exchange of goods, culture, craftsmanship but also inevitable conflicts.
Phoenicians, who also colonized vast areas of Mediterraneans and Black Sea coasts, were quite powerful at the time. Greeks and Phoenicians competed with each other and had many conflicts. However, it is interesting to note that Greeks were interested in colonization or as they phrased it "Hellenization". On the other hand Phoenicians were traders who basically wanted wealth. Greeks had colonies in Sicily, Cyprus and the Levant and even as far as Crimea (modern day Ukraine) up north on the Black Sea coast. Although Phoenicians were also interested in regions of Greek presence they were more focused on western Mediterranean and Africa. One important Phoenician colony that outlasted them was Carthage. In fact they have gotten so powerful in the western Mediterranean that they were featured even by the Romans.
Those were surely exciting times for Mediterranean, truly inspiring events have occurred. Many epic stories of Greek mythology including that of Jason and the Argonauts and arduous journey of King Odysseus to his home Ithaca have elements of exploration, colonization and heroism that keep inspiring us for many centuries.
This ends my blog that talks about the inspiration and story behind the Nautical Dominion Necklace. Until next time!
