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| The '''Mountains of the Moon''' or ''Montes Lunae'' was a ] in central ] that were long believed to be the source of the ]. The ancient world had long been curious as to the source of the ], especially ] ]s. A number of expeditions down the Nile failed to find the source. | The '''Mountains of the Moon''' or ''Montes Lunae'' was a ] in central ] that were long believed to be the source of the ]. The ancient world had long been curious as to the source of the ], especially ] ]s. A number of expeditions down the Nile failed to find the source. | ||
| Eventually a merchant named ] reported that he has traveled inland from ] for twenty-five days and had found the source of Nile. He reported it flowed from a group of massive mountains into a series of large lakes. He reported the natives called this range the Mountains of the Moon because of their snowcapped whiteness. | Eventually a merchant named ] reported that he has traveled inland from ] in ] for twenty-five days and had found the source of Nile. He reported it flowed from a group of massive mountains into a series of large lakes. He reported the natives called this range the Mountains of the Moon because of their snowcapped whiteness. | ||
| These reports were taken as true by ] and other Greek and Roman geographers. Late ] geographers, despite far more knowledge of Africa also accepted the |
These reports were taken as true by ] and other Greek and Roman geographers. Late ] geographers, despite having far more knowledge of Africa, also accepted the report. | ||
| It was not until the nineteenth century when Europeans resumed the search for the source of the Nile. ] and ] in ] found that the source was not primarily in the mountains but rather in the ]. ] finally found the mist surrounded mountains in ]. Today known as the ] the peaks are the source of some of the Nile's waters, but only a small fraction |
It was not until the nineteenth century when Europeans resumed the search for the source of the Nile. ] and ] in ] found that the source was not primarily in the mountains but rather in the ]. ] finally found the mist surrounded mountains in ]. Today known as the ] the peaks are the source of some of the Nile's waters, but only a small fraction. | ||
| Many modern scholars doubt that these were the Mountains of the Moon described by Diogenes, some holding that his reports were wholly fabricated. G.W.B Huntingford suggested in 1940 that the Mountain of the Moon should be identified with ], and "was subsequently ridiculed in J. Olver Thompson's ''History of Ancient Geography'' published in 1948"; Huntingford later noted that he was not alone in this theory, citing Sir Harry Johnston in 1911 and Dr. Gervase Mathew later in 1963 having made the same identification <sup>]</sup>. ] identified this range with the ] are in central ]. | |||
| For mountains on the ] see ]. | For mountains on the ] see ]. | ||
| == Notes == | |||
| 1. G.W.B Huntingford, ''Periplus of the Erythraean Sea'', p. 175 (London: the Hakluyt Society, 1980). | |||
Revision as of 21:13, 13 February 2005
The Mountains of the Moon or Montes Lunae was a mountain range in central Africa that were long believed to be the source of the White Nile. The ancient world had long been curious as to the source of the Nile, especially Ancient Greek geographers. A number of expeditions down the Nile failed to find the source.
Eventually a merchant named Diogenes reported that he has traveled inland from Rhapta in East Africa for twenty-five days and had found the source of Nile. He reported it flowed from a group of massive mountains into a series of large lakes. He reported the natives called this range the Mountains of the Moon because of their snowcapped whiteness.
These reports were taken as true by Ptolemy and other Greek and Roman geographers. Late Arab geographers, despite having far more knowledge of Africa, also accepted the report.
It was not until the nineteenth century when Europeans resumed the search for the source of the Nile. James Bruce and John Speke in 1862 found that the source was not primarily in the mountains but rather in the Great Lakes. Henry Morton Stanley finally found the mist surrounded mountains in 1889. Today known as the Ruwenzori Range the peaks are the source of some of the Nile's waters, but only a small fraction.
Many modern scholars doubt that these were the Mountains of the Moon described by Diogenes, some holding that his reports were wholly fabricated. G.W.B Huntingford suggested in 1940 that the Mountain of the Moon should be identified with Mount Kilimanjaro, and "was subsequently ridiculed in J. Olver Thompson's History of Ancient Geography published in 1948"; Huntingford later noted that he was not alone in this theory, citing Sir Harry Johnston in 1911 and Dr. Gervase Mathew later in 1963 having made the same identification . O. G. S. Crawford identified this range with the Mount Abuna Yosef are in central Ethiopia.
For mountains on the Moon see list of mountains on the Moon.
Notes
1. G.W.B Huntingford, Periplus of the Erythraean Sea, p. 175 (London: the Hakluyt Society, 1980).