Himilco

Himilkon (also: Himilco, Phoenician Chimilkât ) was a Carthaginian navigator who explored the BC European Atlantic coast to 480. His goal was probably exploring the trade routes to the rich tin deposits at the nordwestiberischen coast. The precious commodity was an indispensable part of the most important metal alloy that era, the Bronze.

Unlike the same time West Africa Hanno explored, are the Punic original report of Himilkons Travel and the Greek translation is not preserved. Today they are only indirectly and not deducible in the details from the works Ora maritima of the Roman writer Avienus ( three times mentioned ) and from the Historia naturalis of Pliny the Elder, both of which used the Greek translation of Himilkons trip report as a source.

It can be assumed due to the early time point and the tradition situation that Himilkon were no Greek, Tartessian, Etruscan or Phoenician trip reports on his trip.

Started in Carthage, he made after leaving the Mediterranean a stopover in Gadir (modern Cádiz). From there he sailed to the west and north. He tells of calm, of mirror- smooth water, whales and dolphins, the sight of which terrified the crew.