Levant

The Levant is a region in the Eastern Mediterranean that is part of the Middle East. It includes countries such as Cyprus, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Palestine, and Israel. The area has been important throughout history because it connects three continents: Africa, Asia, and Europe.

The word "Levant" comes from the Italian word for "rising," because the Sun rises in the east. Long ago, it was used to describe lands east of Venice, including parts of Greece, Anatolia, Syria-Palestine, and Egypt. Over time, the meaning changed and now usually refers to the modern countries of Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, Israel, Jordan, and Cyprus.

Today, many people think of the Levant as an old-fashioned name for this part of the world. But we still use the word when talking about the region's ancient history, food, and culture. For example, historians study Levantine archaeology, and food lovers enjoy Levantine cuisine.

Etymology

See also: Names of the Levant

The word Levant has been used in English for a long time. It means “the East” or “lands along the Mediterranean Sea east of Italy.” We got this word from French, where levant means “rising,” like the sun rising in the east. This idea comes from a Latin word, levare, which means “to lift or raise.”

Many other languages have similar words for “east.” For example, in Greek it’s Anatolē, in German it’s Morgenland, in Italian you might hear Riviera di Levante, in Hungarian it’s Kelet, and in Spanish and Catalan it’s Levante or Llevant. Even the word “Orient” comes from a Latin word meaning “rising.”

Over time, the meaning of “Levant” has changed. At first, it described people from Europe living near the eastern Mediterranean. Later, it came to include the local people and different groups living in the area.

The term became popular in English during the 1500s when English traders began traveling to the region. The English Levant Company was created in 1581 to trade with the Ottoman Empire, and a similar French company started in 1670.

In the 1800s, writers sometimes used “Levant” to describe parts of the Ottoman Empire and also Greece and its islands. In archaeology, scholars used the term to talk about the many cultures that lived in the region long ago. Later, during the early 1900s, the area that is now Syria and Lebanon was known as the Levant states.

Geography and modern use of the term

Today, the word "Levant" is mostly used by historians and archaeologists when they discuss the past of a certain area. They use this word because it helps them talk about culture and history without involving modern political issues. The Levant today includes places like Cyprus, Egypt, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, and parts of Turkey.

In archaeology, the Levant has natural borders: mountains to the north, deserts to the east, a river to the south, and the Mediterranean Sea to the west. Scholars divide the Levant into northern and southern parts, with a river separating them. The island of Cyprus is also studied with the Levant because it shares history and resources with the area.

History

Further information: Prehistory of the Levant, History of the ancient Levant, and Canaan

See also: History of the Middle East, History of Israel, History of Jordan, History of Lebanon, History of Palestine, and History of Syria

The Levant is a part of West Asia next to the Mediterranean Sea. It has always been important because of where it is. Many ancient people lived there and built great places. Today we can still see the ruins they left behind.

Demographics

See also: Demographics of the Middle East and List of largest cities in the Levant region by population

The Levant has many different people. These include Levantine Arabs, Bedouins, Jews, Kurds, Maronites, Assyrians, Armenians, Chechens and Circassians. About 57.6 million people live there. They come from Syria, Jordan, Israel, Lebanon and Palestine.

Religious and ethnic groups

Most people in the Levant follow Islam, which came to the area in the 7th century. Many are Sunnis. There are also smaller groups such as Alawites and Twelver Shiites. The Levant is where Christianity began, and many people belong to Christian churches like the Greek Orthodox and Armenian Apostolic Church. Other groups include Jews, Samaritans, Yazidis and Druze.

Languages

Most people in the Levant speak Levantine Arabic. This language has different versions in places like Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, and Jordan. In Cyprus, the main languages are Greek and Turkish. In Israel, Modern Hebrew is the official language. Many people also speak Arabic and English. Some villages in Syria still speak Western Neo-Aramaic.

Genetics

Further information: Genetic history of the Middle East

Studies show that people in the Levant share genetic ties with ancient peoples from the Middle East. Many trace their ancestry back to ancient groups from thousands of years ago. There are also minorities such as Circassians, Chechens, Turks, Jews, Turkmens, Assyrians, Kurds, Nawars, and Armenians.