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Modern Europeans began settling the islands in the 1400s. However, some historians think that other explorers visited the Azores much earlier. There is evidence to suggest that the Phoeniciansan-ancient Mediterranean people known for their ability as sailors-explored the Azores over 2,000 years ago.

Cavese

First, archaeologists have found a number of caves built by people in the Azores. In ancient times, the Phoenicians made similar caves as small religious temples and tombs in the cliffs around many of their settlements. The caves that archaeologists found in the Azores appear similar to those of ancient Phoenicia. They have what appear to be stone altars(tables used for religious ceremonies)and stone bowls that could have been used to hold liquid for ceremonial purposes.

Phoenician Coinse

Second, there is an eighteenth-century- account of ancient coins being discovered on Corvo, one of the islands in the Azores, in 1749. This account was published in a scientific article and was accompanied by detailed drawings of the coins. The illustrations show that the coins were Phoenician. The discovery of Phoenician coins on the island of Corvo in the Azores strongly indicates that Phoenicians arrived in the Azores long before modern Europeans.

Phoenicians Traveling Long Distances

Finally, modern researchers have found evidence of Phoenician sailboats traveling long distances of up to 2,000 kilometers without stopping on land(when sailing in the Mediterranean Sea). It appears that the Phoenicians routinely traveled such great distances in the Mediterranean Sea to avoid unfriendly territories. So, it seems quite possible that the Phoenician ships would have been able to complete the journey west from Europe to the Azores 1, 500 kilometers away.

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