Message #218921

[Paulo Riven]

since it appeared that the Greeks did not know the lay of the land in the Western end of the Med. at the time of Heracles,

I'm glad you said "appeared" Qoais, because personaly I doubt that very much!

After all, the Minoan city of Knossos goes back to 2000.bC and they were excellent seafarers who communicated with the Pelasgian Greeks and Mycenaeans.
There is also evidence at Dartmouth Universities, studies of the Aegean, that suggest the presence of Mycenaens or Greeks ca.1900.bC enroute of their voyages for amber and probably tin and zinc in and around Iberia and also to the cassiteride tin islands above Iberia.
This suggests that they either sailed through the pillars or cut across the pyranees mountains towards Santander.
In any case, there is evidence of them around the coastlines of Iberia ca1900.bC.

So they must have had knowledge of the straites and western Europe.

Already in 6000.bC, they were sailing as far away as Pantalleria island in search of obsidian.