Rafts, Boats, and Ships

Small rafts made from logs and dugout canoes were the first boats used for traveling and fishing along the Mediterranean coast. Few trees existed along the Nile River in Egypt, so ancient people made rafts and small boats from bundles of reeds. These were tied together and shaped to form boats. Reed boats were used as early as 3500 B.C. Eventually, larger wooden boats were made. Pictures painted on vases and temple walls show that these boats existed well before 2000 B.C.

Boats

Throughout the history of Egypt, boat transportation on the Nile River was very important for trade and culture. Boats traveled the four hundred miles from Syene (near modern-day Aswan) to where the river empties into the Mediterranean Sea.

Ships

Ships were used to transport people or goods on the Mediterranean and Aegean Seas. Some boats were powered by ten or more rowers, and some had both rowers and sails. Usually, these early boats were steered by large oars. Early sea travel was limited to daytime journeys along the coast with stops each night. Even so, trade and travel developed on the Mediterranean, along the Arabian Gulf, the Persian Gulf, and the Indian Ocean as far as India. Sea trade was greatly advanced by the Phoenicians, who were the first to learn how to navigate by the stars. The Phoenicians (based in Tyre) traveled across the Mediterranean as far as Gibraltar and the Atlantic coasts of Spain and North Africa. Between 2000 and 1000 B.C., ship travel became more common on the Mediterranean Sea. The Minoan people of Crete, the Greeks, Syrians, and Phoenicians all built fleets of merchant ships, along with warships that could be used to defend their lands or attack their enemies. The invasion of Egypt by these “Sea Peoples” took place some years after the Hebrew people had left Egypt and settled in Canaan.

Decks

During the time that the Israelite people ruled all or part of Canaan (1030-586 B.C.), the Phoenicians, Greeks, and Assyrians built merchant ships and warships with two or three decks. One or two decks of rowers powered the boat. A standard-sized ship might have eight rowers per side, but a very large ship could have up to sixty rowers, thirty on each side often arranged in double rows. Israel's King Solomon built a fleet of ships at Ezion-Geber (1 Kgs 9.26-28). These ships were used to carry goods back and forth to Ophir. But since Israel did not have ports on the Mediterranean Sea, Israelites never built a strong navy and had to rely on merchants from other countries for trading and sea travel.

Small Boats and Fishing Craft

Within Israel, however, smaller boats were important to the economy of the area around Lake Galilee, especially during the Roman period. Archaeologists have discovered the remains of a small boat in this freshwater lake that dates from the time of Jesus. Such small boats were used for both fishing and transportation. They are often mentioned in the Gospels (Matt 14.22). 

Sea-going Ships

Little mention is made of sea-going ships in the New Testament, except those that the apostle Paul sailed on during his trip to Rome (Acts 20.38). At this time, passengers like Paul had to travel on merchant ships that carried grain or other cargo (Acts 21.1-3). The Romans had a very active “grain fleet,” which brought Egyptian grain from Alexandria to the capital city of Rome in Italy. When space allowed, these cargo ships also took passengers.