The names of the oceans seem so familiar to us that sometimes we forget that behind each name there is a story. Who decided their names? Why are they called that way? These questions have answers and to delve a little deeper into the history of the underwater world, we share with you the origin of the name of the oceans.
The planet is made up of 70% of, most of the Earth is covered by giant aqueous bodies of salt water that together form the so-called Global Ocean. But for its study and better classification, the Global Ocean has been imaginatively divided by humanity into five great oceans. We have the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Antarctic and Oceans. The first three are considered major oceans, while the last two are called minor oceans.
But why are they called this way? To find answers we have to go back to the past of history. The first International Conference of Hydrographers, whose objective was to define the limits of each ocean as well as their names, was held in 1919. This is where the names arose, but their origin still goes back many centuries.
Pacific Ocean
The largest of all the oceans, the origin of its name dates back to 1519, when the navigator Ferdinand Magellan began his journey across the Atlantic Ocean in search of a western route to the Spice Islands in Indonesia, through South America. After sailing through turbulent and challenging waters through what we know today as the Strait of Magellan, he reached an unknown ocean in November 1520. He baptized it Pacific, due to the tranquility of its waters after navigating through turbulence. in the Indian Ocean. At the time, Magellan didn’t know it, but he was entering the largest ocean in the world.
Atlantic Ocean
It is perhaps the ocean with the most representative name, since the others have somewhat simple names. Initially baptized as the Great Western Ocean or Ethiopian Ocean, although this name would later change. The origin of its name dates back to the 6th century BC, at the very height of Greek culture. Its name is related to , the Titan who held up the heavens according to the worldview of the Greeks. For this reason, it received the name Atlantic to refer to the northeastern coast of Africa, where the Atlas mountains are located.
Indian Ocean
The origin of the name Indian is very simple, this ocean is located east of Africa, bordering the south of the Middle East and the west of . It receives its name because it bathes the coasts of Indonesia. In Indian cultures it is also known as the Sindhu Mahasagara.
Arctic Ocean
The Arctic is located in the north of the globe, bathing it and is a smaller ocean. Its name derives from the Greek ἀρκτικός (arktikos), whose meaning is close to the bear. It refers to the constellation of the Big Dipper, which rises in the north of the celestial vault. It has also been associated with the Little Dipper, the constellation where Polaris lives, the star that navigators use to locate the North.
Antartic Ocean
means opposite to the north, thus the Antarctic Ocean would be the antipodal of the north. It is the penultimate ocean in size and surrounds the entire southern continent.