The 7 Seas: The Earth’s Great Bodies of Water
Throughout history, people have referred to seven distinct bodies of water referred to as the Seven Seas. For centuries, the ‘7 Seas’ were used as a phrase to refer to some of the world’s most important bodies of water. In modern times, however, the definition of ‘7 Seas’ can vary depending on the region and personal opinion.
What Are The 7 Seas?
The Seven Seas include the Arctic Ocean, the North Atlantic Ocean, the South Atlantic Ocean, the Indian Ocean, the North Pacific Ocean, the South Pacific Ocean, and the Southern Ocean. Specifically, many experts would include the Bering Sea, the Caribbean Sea, the Mediterranean Sea, the Black Sea, the Gulf of Mexico, and other smaller bodies of water for a total of thirteen seas.
The History of the 7 Seas
The origin of the concept of the Seven Seas dates back thousands of years. It is believed to have first appeared in the Babylonian culture around 2300 BC. Historians believe that the phrase may have originated from Sumerian poetic literature, which gave us the concept of seven rivers encircling the world. In turn, the seven rivers turned into the seven seas.
In classical antiquity, the phrase was used by the ancient Greeks and Romans to refer to the seven major bodies of water listed above. Later, in the Middle Ages, Arabian sailors referred to the seven waters as the Seven Seas. By the 18th century, Europe started using the phrase to assess any body of water they discovered.
The People Who Sailed the 7 Seas
In addition to the Greeks, Romans, and Arabs, many other cultures sailed the seas of the world in search of new trade routes, resources, and conquest. Some of the most emblematic of these civilizations were the Vikings, who in the 9th century were notorious for their daring expeditions of exploration to countries as far away as North America.
Throughout history, some of the most ancient written accounts of the Seven Seas come from the voyages of Italian explorer Marco Polo, who set sail in the early 13th century with an aim to explore Asia and expand trading across the continent.
Conclusion
Today, the phrase ‘7 Seas’ is not a geographically precise term, but rather a phrase used to refer to the interconnected bodies of water that cover most of the surface area of our planet. Each of these seas is unique in its own way, and holds centuries of secrets to uncover. From Marco Polo’s expedition to the Viking voyages, the seven seas have been a source of discovery and exploration since the dawn of time.