Early Phoenician Presence in the Mediterranean Islands: A Reappraisal

The genesis of the Phoenicians and the nature of their earliest ventures overseas are two controversial issues that lack satisfactory archaeological data. The working hypothesis of this paper is that Phoenician colonial activities had started in the early 12th century B. C. and were already well established by the end of the 10th century B. C. Reevaluation of both old and new discoveries indicates that a long but steady process initiated by Levantine diaspora on Cyprus was followed, i. a., by permanent Phoenician posts on Crete in order to expand their trade routes beyond the Aegean as far as Sardinia in the west.