9. Africans were seafaring before anyone else
An obvious fact, if you read the first item on this list, but still an astonishing thing to bear in mind. Having evolved in Africa, ancient hominids appear to have been struck by wanderlust, and began taking their ships beyond local rivers to the great blue sea. Stone tools found on the Philippine island of Luzon suggest that the journey of around 10, 000 miles was made as early as 777, 000 years ago. The mind boggles as to how ancestors of Homo sapiens could have made a trip which is extremely difficult even today in such rudimentary vessels.
Ancestors of Homo sapiens reached Crete in the Mediterranean on rafts at least 130, 000 years ago, and left behind stone axes which were found in 2010. Although it is possible that they were simply blown off course, the Luzon evidence suggests it could well have been a deliberate voyage. History’s most famous African seafarers were the Ancient Egyptians. They built advanced vessels complete with rudders and sails, knowledge that was vital to the expansion and flourishing of their civilisation. They also built warships big enough to transport whole armies, which enabled them to attack and conquer surrounding territories.
