UNESCO Ancient Civilizations of Africa (Editor G. Mokhtar)

Egypt's relations with the rest of Africa
on that part of the African coast which stretches from the Poitialeh river in
northern Somalia to Cape Guardafui. It is a mountainous area with terraced
plantations reminiscent of those depicted at Dayr al Bahri. Many trees,
including the incense-producing balsam, grow on these terraces.
In the region which is today called Goluin there is an inlet where
Queen Hatshepsut's vessels may have been moored and it is there that the
ancient River Elphas flowed into the ocean. This location and the reference
to Queen Hatshepsut's ships heading for Punt suggest the Egyptians' use
of the sea route to the foreign land. Recently, R. Herzog tried to show
this had not been so and that the Egyptians' relations with Punt were
maintained over land. This theory aroused strong reactions. 24
Very recent research 2 s led to the discovery on the Red Sea coast, north
of Al Qusayr at the mouth of the Wadi Gasus, of traces of Egyptian connections
with Punt. One of the inscriptions found has been transcribed
by the discoverer as follows: 'King of Upper and Lower Egypt,
Kheperkare 26 beloved of the God Khenty-Khety, son of Re, Sesostris
beloved of Hathor mistress of Pwenet [Punt].' Another includes the
passage: '... the Mine of Punt to reach it in peace and to return in
peace'. These inscriptions, supported by others, confirm that expeditions to
Punt went by sea. Unfortunately, owing to the locality where they were
found, they do not supply indications as to the geographical position of the
land itself.
Agreement therefore seems to have been virtually reached to the effect
that Egyptian vessels sailed to Punt to seek precious incense and many
other products formerly provided by southern Arabia. An attempt has
been made to trace the route taken by these vessels. 27
It is claimed that several Pharaohs tried to reach more distant regions.
An expedition to Punt under Ramses III is described in the Papyrus
Harris: 'The fleet ... crossed the Muqad Sea.' Its vessels arrived south of
Cape Guardafui, perhaps as far as Cape Hafun on the Indian Ocean. But
this route was somewhat dangerous because of the storms that rage in that
area. Probably, therefore, we can conclude that Cape Guardafui was the
southernmost point for ships bound for Punt and that the latter's southern
boundaries were near this Cape. As for its northern boundaries, they may
be said to have changed from century to century.
According to P. Montet, there is another way of looking at the problem.
He writes: 28 '... the land of Punt was certainly in African territory be-
24. See for instance K. A. Kitchen, 1971. However, recent archaeological discoveries
in countries which lie between Punt and Egypt do not justify the rejection without a thorough
study of R. Herzog's hypothesis.
25. Abd el-Halim Sayyd (Mana'im), 1976.
26. This refers to Sesostris I {c. —1970 to —1930) and Egyptian texts mention expeditions
to Punt well before that date, during the Old Kingdom.
27. This has been done by K. A. Kitchen, 1971.
28. P. Montet, 1970, p. 132.
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