THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA

In the second part of our series on the world’s oceans and seas, Explore the history, culture and allure of the Mediterranean we explore the Mediterranean – its history, culture and allure

The Romans called it Mare Magnum, ‘Great Sea’, the Ancient Greeks, simply Hē Thálassa, ‘The Sea’. Today, the mere mention of the word Mediterranean transports you to a kaleidoscope of colours and flavours, cultures and terrains, diverse yet infused. This is the sea of sunshine, of golden sands and azure waters. The sea that carries you from the vivid hues of Van Gogh’s landscapes, lush forests and stone-hewed castles to tiny fishing villages, ancient ports and glamorous resorts. As well as being famed for its history, culture and spectacular natural beauty, the Mediterranean is blessed with a mild and temperate climate, making it a magnet for visitors.

Separating Europe from Africa, the Mediterranean Sea is almost completely enclosed by land and, as such, is the largest inland sea in the world, connected to the Atlantic Ocean by the narrow channel of the Strait of Gibraltar. With more than 28,000 miles of coastline, its waters lap the shores of 24 countries and territories, with southern Europe to the north, Africa to south, and the Middle East and Asia to the east. Little wonder, given its geographical position, that this ancient “sea between the lands” is the cradle of Western civilisation.

Having coastlines on three continents is what makes the Mediterranean so diverse, and also what binds those continents together. As the central crossroads between Europe, Asia and Africa, a myriad of influences is reflected in its cultures, food, music, art and the shared histories.

CULTURAL LEGACY From the prehistoric cave paintings in France to the ruins of ancient Rome, Moorish Spain, classical Greece and the Holy Land, the Mediterranean boasts a wealth of ancient monuments. The sea was an important trade route for merchants and travellers, facilitating trade and cultural exchange between peoples of the region. Thanks to a shared climate, geology and access to the sea, the culture and history of many Mediterranean countries are in some ways intertwined.

Two of the most notable Mediterranean civilisations in classical antiquity were the Greek city states and Phoenicians, both of whom extensively colonised the coastlines of the Mediterranean. Later, when Augustus founded the Roman Empire, the Romans completely controlled the Mediterranean and virtually all its coastal regions from Gibraltar to the Levant for 400 years. They even changed its name to Mare Nostrum ‘Our Sea’.

TRANSPORTATION AND TRADE “The inland sea” of early civilisations, trade and communication flourished and declined with the fortunes of the people and the places along its shores. After the Middle Ages, Constantinople (Istanbul), Barcelona and the Italian states assumed the role of trade intermediaries between the Orient and north western Europe. In the 15th century, however, the rise of the Ottoman Turks was followed by a rule of oppression, and piracy made it dangerous to sail the sea. The fate of those Mediterranean trading posts was sealed when the route around the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa was discovered, offering a safer and easier sea journey. For more than 250 years, the Mediterranean Sea remained a backwater of world ocean trade and traffic.

Fortunes changed again in 1869 with the opening of the Suez Canal in Egypt, a manmade waterway connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Indian Ocean via the Red Sea. No longer having to circumnavigate the African

Opposite: The dramatic location of villages on the Amalfi Coast, in Italy, overlooking the Mediterranean

Clockwise, from top left: Each country has developed its own delicious cuisine; the Greek Islands are home to secluded coves and white-sand beaches; the Sultan Ahmed Mosque in Istanbul; seafood features heavily on menus in the region; a colourful wooden doorway; fishing is an important livelihood; a turtle glides peacefully in the Mediterranean; wooden fishing boats line the beach in a small port town

continent, the newly built steam ships were put to use, meaning the waters of the Mediterranean were once again amongst the busiest in the world.

THE SEA THAT ‘BREATHES’ A continuous inflow of surface water from the Atlantic Ocean flows eastward along the north coast of Africa, and this constant current forms the circulation of water and air in the region. It is most powerful in summer, when evaporation in the Mediterranean is at its highest, making the surface water more salty. The sea has been metaphorically described as breathing – inhaling surface water from the Atlantic and exhaling deep water in a counter current below. PRECIOUS RESOURCES Fishing has always been an important industry in the Mediterranean, and a lifeline to people who live along its shores. Among the rich diversity of marine life are the bottom-living fish like flounder, sole, turbot, whiting, red mullet. Sardines and anchovies also feature on many menus, as do squid and octopus, bluefin tuna, coastal hake, sole and red mullet. Eating well is part of everyday life in the region, and one of its great pleasures, with each country boasting its own cuisine.

As well as fishing, sea salt, produced by evaporation in coastal pans, has been a part of this sea for millennia. Since the early 1980s, exploration and production of oil and natural gas have increased, with offshore wells rising from the sea off Italy, Libya, Egypt and Algeria who are the region’s largest producers. Though Mediterranean oil and gas represents only a small amount of world production, a significant proportion of the world’s oil refining takes place in the region, which processes crude oil from the Persian Gulf countries shipped through the Suez Canal.

Boasting idyllic coastlines and cosmopolitan playgrounds, ancient ruins and medieval walls, rambling, atmospheric old quarters and crisp modern architecture, what makes the Mediterranean so culturally rich, beautifully scenic and diverse is what makes it irresistible. Visit once and you’ll be hooked.

Above: A view of Gibraltar Rock with the Atlas Mountains rising in the distance