Uhambo Lwasolwandle Endulo

Kuwubala kubantu abaningi namuhla ukugibela indiza besuka kwelinye izwekazi beya kwelinye. Kungakumangaza yini ukwazi ukuthi nangezikhathi zeBhayibheli abantu babewahamba amabanga amade?

CISHE eminyakeni engaba yinkulungwane ngaphambi kokufika kukaKristu emhlabeni, iNkosi uSolomoni yakha imikhumbi eminingi eyayihamba nemikhumbi yenkosi yaseThire iyolanda izinto ezinhle emazweni akude izilethe kwa-Israyeli. (1 AmaKhosi 9:26-28; 10:22) Ekhulwini lesi-9 B.C.E., umprofethi uJona wagibela umkhumbi eJopha ogwini lwaseMedithera kwa-Israyeli, walibangisa eTharishishi.a (Jona 1:3) Ekhulwini lokuqala C.E., umphostoli uPawulu wahamba ngomkhumbi esuka eKhesariya kwa-Israyeli elibangise ePhutheyoli, namuhla ebizwa ngokuthi iPozzuoli, eChwebeni laseNaples, e-Italy.—IzEnzo 27:1; 28:13.

Izazi-mlando ziyazi ukuthi ngosuku lukaPawulu, abahwebi ababehlala ezindaweni zaseMedithera babevame ukuhamba ngemikhumbi oLwandle Olubomvu lapho beya eNdiya, futhi phakathi nekhulu leminyaka lesibili, abanye base behambe baze bayofika eChina.b Nokho, yini esiyaziyo ngemikhumbi yakudala eyahamba nakwezinye izilwandle ngaphandle kweMedithera? Leyo mikhumbi yafinyelela kuziphi izindawo?

Uhambo Lwemikhumbi Yakudala YaseFenike

Amakhulu ngamakhulu eminyaka ngaphambi kwesikhathi sikaPawulu, abantu ababehamba njalo ngemikhumbi bavula izindawo zokuhweba eNtshonalanga. Kuthiwa abaseFenike, ababehlala endaweni namuhla ebizwa ngokuthi iLebanon, bafika e-Atlantic ngo-1200 B.C.E. Cishe ngo-1100 B.C.E., bathola iGadir, namuhla eyitheku laseSpain iCádiz, engale kweStrait of Gilbraltar. Ezinye zezinto ezazitholakala lapho kwakuyisiliva elalenziwa endaweni nensimbi eyayithengwa kwamanye amazwe.

Isazi-mlando saseGrisi uHerodotus sabhala ukuthi ngekhulu le-7 B.C.E., uFaro Nekho waseGibhithe, wathatha uhambo oluzungeza i-Afrika, wasuka empumalanga waya entshonalanga. Wahamba ngemikhumbi yaseFenike eyayinezisebenzi zakhona futhi lolu hambo lwaqala oLwandle Olubomvu.

Ngaleso sikhathi, kwase kungamakhulu eminyaka abaseFenike baqala ukuhlola amachweba ase-Afrika. Nokho, ngenxa yemimoya nemisinga enamandla, amatilosi ayehlose ukufika eningizimu egudla uGu lwe-Atlantic awakwazanga ukufika lapho. UHerodotus uthi kulolu hambo lwenkosi yaseGibhithe, abaseFenike basukela oLwandle Olubomvu, bathubeleza njalo begudla ugu lwasempumalanga Afrika bebheke eningizimu e-Indian Ocean. Cishe phakathi nonyaka, bahlala endaweni ethile, batshala futhi balinda isivuno. Ngemva kwalokho, baqhubeka nohambo lwabo. UHerodotus uthi onyakeni wesithathu balizungeza lonke izwekazi lase-Afrika, bahamba oLwandle lwaseMedithera baphindela emuva eGibhithe.

UHerodotus waphetha ukulandisa kwakhe ngokuthi abaseFenike babuya nemibiko akuthola kunzima ukuyikholelwa, njengokuthi ngesikhathi besechosheni leningizimu Afrika, babona ilanga lingakwesokudla. Kwakunzima ngempela ngomGreki wasendulo ukukholwa into enjalo. Noma ubani oye wachitha ukuphila kwakhe konke enyakatho yenkabazwe ujwayele ukubona ilanga liseningizimu. Ngakho, uma eya ngasentshonalanga, ilanga liba ngakwesobunxele sakhe. Kodwa eCape of Good Hope, eseningizimu yenkabazwe, emini ilanga liba senyakatho—libe ngakwesokudla somuntu oya entshonalanga.

Amakhulu amaningi eminyaka izazi-mlando zaphikisana ngokulandisa kukaHerodotus. Kungase kungakholakali kwabaningi ukuthi kunabantu endulo abakwazi ukuhamba olwandle bajikeleza yonke i-Afrika. Nokho, izazi zikholelwa ukuthi uFaro Nekho wayala ukuba kuphunywe lowo mkhankaso nokuthi babengakwazi ngempela ukuthatha lolo hambo ngoba abantu bangaleso sikhathi babenawo amakhono nolwazi. Isazi-mlando uLionel Casson sithi: “Kwakuyinto engenzeka ngempela ukuthatha lolu hambo. Asikho isizathu esasingabangela ukuba iqembu laseFenike lihluleke ukuhamba isikhathi elasihamba nokusebenzisa izindlela elazisebenzisa njengoba kuchaza uHerodotus.” Ukuthi ukulandisa kukaHerodotus kuyiqiniso ngezinga elingakanani, lokho asinakuqiniseka ngakho. Yize kunjalo, kusinikeza umbono wemizamo nokuzikhandla kwabathile ukuze kufinyelelwe izindawo ezazingaziwa ngaleso sikhathi.

UPytheas Ulibangisa Enyakatho

Bakhona nabanye abantu baseMedithera abahamba ngemikhumbi baya ngasentshonalanga bebheke e-Atlantic. IMassalia, manje eyidolobha laseMarseilles, eFrance, iphakathi kwamakoloni asungulwa abantu baseGrisi ababehamba ngemikhumbi bezungeza iMedithera. Leli dolobha lachuma ngenxa yohwebo lwasolwandle nasezweni. Abahwebi baseMassalia babehwebelana nabantu basenyakatho ngewayini, amafutha nezinto zethusi, bese bona bethola insimbi nenhlaka. Akungabazeki ukuthi abantu baseMassalia babefisa ukwazi ukuthi zazivelaphi lezi zinto. Cishe yileso isizathu esenza ukuba ngo-320 B.C.E., uPytheas waseMassalia aziyele mathupha kulawo mazwe asenyakatho.

Ekubuyeni kwakhe wabhala incwadi exoxa ngohambo lwakhe enesihloko esithi On the Ocean. Yize incwadi yakhe yokuqala ayeyibhale ngesiGreki ingasekho, yacashunwa okungenani ababhali abangu-18 basendulo. Lezo zingxenye ezacashunwa zibonisa ukuthi uPytheas walichaza ngokuningiliziwe ulwandle, amagagasi, ukuma kwezindawo azibona kanye nabantu ababehlala ezindaweni azivakashela. Wasebenzisa nomshini wokukala ithunzi ukuze athole ukuthi emini ilanga laliphakeme kangakanani, ngaleyo ndlela akwazi ukuhlawumbisela ukuthi wayesesondele kangakanani enyakatho.

UPytheas wayenesithakazelo ezintweni zesayensi. Nokho, kubonakala sengathi lapho ethatha lolu hambo kwakungewona umgomo wakhe oyinhloko lowo. Kunalokho, izazi zicabanga ukuthi kungenzeka wayethunywe futhi exhaswe abantu bezentengiselwano baseMassalia ukuba ayothola imizila yasolwandle kulawo machweba akude ngoba bazi ukuthi bangase bathole khona inhlaka nensimbi. UPytheas waya kuziphi izindawo?

Uhambo Oluya EBrittany, EBrithani Nangalé

Kubonakala sengathi uPytheas wahamba ngomkhumbi wazungeza i-Iberia wabe esekhuphukela ogwini lwaseGaul, waya eBrittany, lapho afike ehla khona emkhunjini. Lokhu sikwazi ngoba lapho ezama ukuthola ukuthi ilanga laliqhelelene kangakanani nomkhathizwe—cishe lokhu ekwenza engekho olwandle—isilinganiso sakhe savumelana nendawo esenyakatho yeBrittany.c

Abantu baseBrittany ababehwebelana neBrithani babengongoti ekwakheni imikhumbi nasekuhambeni ngayo. ICornwall, indawo esechosheni yeBrithani ngaseningizimu-ntshonalanga, yayicebe ngensimbi, isakhi esibalulekile sethusi, futhi lena enye indawo uPytheas aya kuyo. Embikweni wakhe wachaza ubukhulu beBrithani wachaza nokuthi imise okukanxantathu, okusikisela ukuthi wasizungeza lesi siqhingi.

Nakuba kungekho ongasho ngokuthe ngqo ukuthi wahamba kanjani uPytheas, kungenzeka ukuthi wanqamula phakathi kweBrithani ne-Ireland waze wayoma e-Isle of Man, okuyindawo evumelana nesilinganiso sakhe sesibili sendawo ilanga elalikuyo. Isilinganiso sesithathu kungenzeka wasithatha eseLewis e-Outer Hebrides, eqhele kancane ogwini olusentshonalanga yeScotland. Kungenzeka ukuthi wasuka lapho waya enyakatho eziQhingini zase-Orkney, enyakatho yezwe laseScotland, ngoba uMdala uPliny wakucaphuna ukulandisa kukaPytheas wathi le ndawo yayineziqhingi ezingu-40.

Ngemva cishe kwezinsuku eziyisithupha esolwandle eya enyakatho yeBrithani, uPytheas wathi wafika ezweni okuthiwa iThule. Lapho licaphuna incazelo kaPytheas yeThule, iningi lababhali basendulo lithi le ndawo ikhanya ilanga kuze kube phakathi kwamabili. UPytheas wathi ngosuku olulandelayo wafika olwandle “oluyiqhwa.” Kusalokhu kuyimpikiswano enkulu ukuthi uPytheas wayithola kuphi iThule—abanye bathi eziQhingini zaseFaeroe, abanye bathi eNorway kanti abanye bathi e-Iceland. Kungakhathaliseki ukuthi iThule yayikuphi, ababhali basendulo babekholelwa ukuthi “yayiqhele kakhulu enyakatho.”

Kucatshangwa ukuthi uPytheas wabuyela eBrithani ngendlela ayehambe ngayo wabe esesizungeza sonke leso siqhingi. Asazi noma waqhubekela phambili wahlola ugu olusenyakatho yeYurophu ngaphambi kokubuyela eMedithera. Kunoma yikuphi, uMdala uPliny uthi uPytheas wazithola izifunda ezikhiqiza inhlaka. Izindawo zakudala okwakutholakala kuzo lo mkhiqizo oyigugu kwakuyiJutland, eyingxenye yeDenmark yanamuhla, nasemaphethelweni ogu oluseningizimu loLwandle lwaseBaltic. Yebo, kungenzeka uPytheas wezwa ngalezi zindawo ngesikhathi evakashele elinye lamatheku asempumalanga yeBrithani, futhi ngokwalokhu esikwaziyo, naye akazange athi wafika mathupha kulezo zindawo.

Omunye umuntu owahamba izindawo ngomkhumbi olwandle lwaseMedithera nguJulius Caesar. Wabhala ngokuvakashela kwakhe eBrithani futhi wafika eningizimu yalesi siqhingi ngo-55 B.C.E. Ngo-6 C.E., eminye imikhumbi yamaRoma nayo yase ihambe yaze yayofika phezulu enyakatho yeJutland.

Ukwandisa Ulwazi

Ukuhamba kwabaseFenike nabaseGrisi ngemikhumbi kwasiza ekwandiseni ulwazi ngamazwe aseMedithera nase-Atlantic, kudlulele e-Afrika kuze kuyoshaya e-Actic phezulu enyakatho. Abantu ngaleso sikhathi bafunda ngokuhweba, ukuthuthukisa ulwazi lwabo ngomhlaba, ukuhamba amabanga amade okwaphumela ekutholeni ulwazi oluningi.

Izincwadi zasendulo ezisekhona ezikhuluma ngokuhlolwa kwamazwe zisitshela okuncane kakhulu ngohambo lwasolwandle olwathathwa amatilosi anesibindi nokuphumelela kwawo kwayekuhlosile. Bangaki abagibeli bemikhumbi yasendulo abaphindela ezindaweni ababesuke kuzo futhi babhala ngohambo lwabo? Bangaki futhi abasuka emazweni akubo baya ezindaweni ezikude kodwa bangabuya? Izimpendulo zale mibuzo azikho. Kodwa singaqonda okuthile ngokusakazeka kobuKristu ngekhulu lokuqala.—Bheka ibhokisi ngenhla.

[Imibhalo yaphansi]

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 29]

Izindaba Ezinhle “Zashunyayelwa Kuyo Yonke Indalo”

Cishe ngo-60 kuya ku-61 C.E., umphostoli uPawulu wabhala ukuthi izindaba ezinhle zase ‘zishunyayelwe kuyo yonke indalo engaphansi kwezulu.’ (Kolose 1:23) Ingabe wayesho ukuthi amaKristu ayeseshumayele naseNdiya, eMpumalanga Ekude, e-Afrika, eSpain, eGaul, eBrithani, emazweni aseBaltic nasezweni uPytheas alibiza ngokuthi iThule? Akubonakali kanjalo, kodwa ngeke sagomela.

Nokho, akungabazeki ukuthi izindaba ezinhle zase zisakazeke kakhulu. Ngokwesibonelo, amaJuda kanye namaproselithe ayamukele ubuKristu ngePentekoste lika-33 C.E., ashumayela ngokholo lwawo olusha eParte, e-Elamu, eMediya, eMesophothamiya, e-Arabhiya, e-Asia Minor, ezingxenyeni zeLibhiya, eKhurene naseRoma—kuhlanganise namazwe ayaziwa abantu ababebhalelwa uPawulu.—IzEnzo 2:5-11.

[Umdwebo/Ibalazwe ekhasini 26, 27]

(Ukuze ubone ukuthi indaba ihlelwe kanjani, bheka encwadini)

UHerodotus wabika ukuthi ngesikhathi amatilosi ezungeza ichopho le-Afrika, abona ilanga lingakwesokudla sawo

[Ibalazwe]

I-AFRIKA

ULWANDLE IMEDITHERA

I-INDIAN OCEAN

I-ATLANTIC OCEAN

[Umdwebo/Ibalazwe ekhasini 28, 29]

(Ukuze ubone ukuthi indaba ihlelwe kanjani, bheka encwadini)

Uhambo olude lwasolwandle lwetilosi elingumGreki uPytheas

[Ibalazwe]

IMarseilles

INHLONHLO YASE-IBERIA

I-IRELAND

I-ICELAND

INORWAY

North Sea

IBRITHANI

IBRITTANY

INHLONHLO YASE-IBERIA

UGU OLUSENYAKATHO YE-AFRIKA

ULWANDLE IMEDITHERA

IMarseilles