What do we know?  We know the ship belonged to the Phoenicians, but who were they? Why were the Phoenicians sailing and trading with other lands?  To get some answers, let’s look at Phoenicia in terms of what it takes to be called a civilization.

Click to explore each area of the concept map below.

Activity: Answer the following questions on your own paper or in your notes.

• What was the one characteristic of a civilization the Phoenicians lacked? 
• How did they adjust to the fact that they were lacking this characteristic?

Check Your Answer

If you said that the Phoenicians lacked a stable food supply or an agricultural surplus, you are correct!  They adjusted to the lack of a stable food supply by trading valued resources with other civilizations for food.