The Louis Vuitton Leather Goods Campaign Spring-Summer 2024 returns to the high seas with an extension of their Louis Vuitton Nautical Summer Capsule that focuses on Vuitton’s best handbags.

Lensed by Ethan James Green [IG] against the ancient backdrop of Mediterranean world waters, the campaign steps into AOC’s earlier Louis Vuitton Nautical campaign discussion of women in the world of Olympic sailing.

Today models Chu Wong, Ida Heiner and Sacha Quenby inspires a deeper question by AOC.

Did women sail in ancient waters?

For the 17 years that AOC has written about women’s history, I am very focused on the facts and not the hoped-for historical discoveries that Anne seeks.

Today is no different, but my quick investigation into women as sailors in the ancient world — 10,000-500 BC — reminds me of the day I stumbled into the possibility that women were equally humans’ earliest toolmakers.

The gender-based archaeological analysis of ancient discoveries and human history has been understood through the lens of men. Since the early 70s, women archaeologists and anthropologists — and many men researchers — agree that much of this history is wrong.

It’s very possible that it was women — through their making of copper jewelry and related uses for copper — who actually drove innovation out of stone tools and into the more malleable and easily-shaped copper-blended tools.

Pure copper is too soft to be used in tool-making. Much evidence suggests that generally women worked with copper more than men. So the intuitive possibility that copper could actually play a key role in the development of strategically-shaped tools to serve a purpose was as obvious to females as males.

I also note that much of the literature around the ancient world and human discoveries is being written without gender-specific roles today.

Humans, people, inhabitants, early Phoenicians are new terms that avoid gender-specific, who did what language.

Did Women Sail Ancient Seas?

Take Notice: Anne has not sufficiently confirmed these AI-generated responses from trusted and reliable sources that we pay for and use every day. My view is that I’ve openly involved our precious readers in the AI process from day one. I view it as a learning experience for us all as how one team — Lulu and myself — navigate the world of AI.

If any element in the answer dropped out as preposterous, I would not share it.

We should read this first response from Squarespace AI with skepticism. Just know that I will be digging much deeper here, and will share a retraction in this article, if the following analysis doesn’t hold up.

Were Phoenicians, Greeks and Viking Women Sailors?

Archaeological findings suggest that women from various ancient civilizations, such as the Phoenicians, Greeks, and Vikings, were involved in seafaring activities. These women contributed to navigation, trade, fishing, and exploration, showcasing their significant role in maritime ventures. Additionally, historical accounts and myths also depict women as skilled sailors and leaders on ships, challenging the notion that sailing was exclusively a male domain in early history. The stories of these remarkable women provide valuable ancestral evidence of their crucial involvement in seafaring activities centuries ago.
Phoenician women were known to be skilled sailors who played a crucial role in the maritime trade network of the ancient world. These women were involved in various aspects of seafaring, including navigation, trading, and ship maintenance. Their expertise in sailing and trading helped establish Phoenicia as a dominant maritime power in the Mediterranean.

Were Phoenician Women Really Sailors?

Take Notice: I turn now to our second AI paid resource, not named, to avoid AOC being used as an endorsement of this service.

The Phoenicians, an ancient Semitic people hailing from the coastal regions of modern-day Lebanon, Syria, and Israel, were renowned for their maritime prowess. Flourishing between 1550 BC to 300 BC, they were pioneers of ancient seafaring. This civilization's legacy is deeply intertwined with the Mediterranean Sea, through which they established trade routes, founded colonies, and spread their culture across vast distances.
Contrary to popular belief, evidence suggests that Phoenician women may have played a significant role in seafaring activities. The scarcity of direct historical records makes it difficult to paint a complete picture, yet through the analysis of artifacts, writings by ancient historians, and mythological tales, we begin to see indications of women's participation.
These fragments of history hint at women not only managing affairs at ports but also taking on roles aboard ships. This revelation disrupts traditional gender roles ascribed to ancient societies and underscores the need for a deeper exploration into the contributions of Phoenician women to maritime history.

Excavations of ancient Phoenician sites have unearthed artifacts such as figurines and reliefs depicting women in contexts associated with seafaring and navigation. These images suggest a possible recognition or celebration of women's involvement in maritime ventures. Additionally, grave goods in burial sites along the Mediterranean coast, where Phoenician influence was strong, include navigational tools and sea-related symbols alongside female remains, hinting at their direct participation or significant connection to seafaring life.
However, the interpretation of such evidence remains speculative due to the scarcity of explicit records detailing women's roles aboard Phoenician vessels.

Queen Dido and the Founding of Carthage

The legacy of Phoenician maritime prowess is not solely the domain of men; legendary female figures also feature prominently in their seafaring history. Among these, the most celebrated is Queen Dido, also known as Elissa. Founder of Carthage, her story is a testament to the vital role women played in Phoenician exploration and settlement. Dido embodies the spirit of adventure and resilience, leading her people across the Mediterranean to establish a new kingdom.
While historical records are sparse on other specific names, tales passed down through generations speak of women who navigated vast oceans, engaged in trade, and even commanded fleets. These stories reflect a society where women could exert influence and achieve renown through maritime endeavors.

There is much archaeological evidence for the existence of Queen Dido — or Elissa — and her fleeing her home in Phoenicia to found Carthage.

Note, we are speaking of the land of modern Tunisia.

AOC is not impressed with the lack of scholarship at The Brooklyn Museum in discussing Queen Dido. They write:

Dido and her followers ended up in North Africa, where she founded Carthage by tricking the native people out of a large piece of land.

Brittanica, by contrast, writes:

Dido fled to the coast of Africa where she purchased from a local chieftain, Iarbas, a piece of land on which she founded Carthage.

Local chieftans had major powers across Africa to conduct commerce, and Iarbas is well known as a powerful leader in the literature. But that narrative doesn’t jibe with Iarbas conducting a financial transaction with Dido of a fair commercial nature — in a world where creating alliances was becoming very important.

The woman being a ‘trickster’ or liar — is a common, misogynist narrative, as expressed by The Brooklyn Museum and the founders of Abrahamic religions as they evolved over centuries.

Now if she paid for Carthage with a few glass beads, that’s one important piece of information. If she paid a fair price in gold, that’s another. I do not know the answer and neither does this writer with his or her own agenda, imo, at The Brooklyn Museum.

Time to Boogie

As the current battle rages over who was a Caucasian and who was a person of color in the ancient world of the Levant, accompanied by Jan 6-style window bashing at America’s top universities, it seems like a good moment to wrap this discussion about seafaring women in ancient history.

You must admit that it would be a real hoot to prove that before the patriarchy rolled in to take control of women, we were busy inventing tools and sailing the high seas.

To be continued, cuz I’m like a dog with a bone with these ancient stories about women’s history . . . ~ Anne