Early European Voyagers of the Atlantic

Europeans have explored the Atlantic Ocean for thousands of years.

As far back as 1100 BC (BCE), Phoenician mariners had sailed through the Pillars of Hercules (now the Strait of Gibraltar) into the Atlantic.

According to ancient writings, by the 400's BC (BCE) Phoenicians from the colony of Carthage reached the British Isles in search of tin.

In about 325 B.C., Pytheas, a Greek explorer from Massalia (now Marseille), sailed past England and Scotland and possibly beyond the Shetland Islands.

Ancient classical writers had described mysterious and beautiful lands called the "Fortunate Islands" or "Islands of the Blessed" a long way out into the Atlantic. These islands have since been associated with the Azores, the Canaries, or even the West Indies.

However, by 400 AD (400 CE), most Europeans were content to stay within the world they knew.

People did not know that Iceland, Greenland or America existed.

As far as they were concerned, the Atlantic stretched on forever.

Some people thought that the world might be flat, and that, if they sailed too far west, they would fall off the edge.

They believed that the ocean was the home of fierce monsters, and that powerful gods ruled the waters.

In addition, although sailors could set a rough course at sea by the stars, but there were no proper navigational instruments and no charts.

In the 5th century, the Irish began exploring the Atlantic in order to find pagans and convert them to Christianity.

Later on, the Vikings of Scandinavia began using the Atlantic as a pathway to rich countries where they could raid, or settle.