Syrian first lady Asma al-Assad (C) attends a ceremony on a ship modelled after a Phoenician vessel before it departs from the Syrian Mediterranean island of Arwad August 10, 2008. The ship on Sunday embarked upon the circumnavigation of Africa in a total voyage of 17,000 miles and 10 months at sea to return in 2009 to Britain. Phoenician mariners achieved the first circumnavigation of Africa in 600 BC and the Phoenicians were arguably the first global civilisation around 1200 BC. Reuters Pictures logo Reuters Pictures 42 months ago

Syrian first lady Asma al-Assad (C) attends a ceremony on a ship modelled after a Phoenician vessel before it departs from the Syrian Mediterranean island of Arwad August 10, 2008. The ship on Sunday embarked upon the circumnavigation of Africa in a total voyage of 17,000 miles and 10 months at sea to return in 2009 to Britain. Phoenician mariners achieved the first circumnavigation of Africa in 600 BC and the Phoenicians were arguably the first global civilisation around 1200 BC.