There more than 100 body of water in the world that are either officially named seas or normally referred to that fashion . When someone speak about sailing the “ seven sea , ” which particular seven are they referring to ?
It depends on who you ask , and when . A deal of the time , the term is n’t have in mind to be taken literally , and simply refers to all the sea and sea of the world . According to theNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration , though , ever since the term was first register in ancient Mesopotamia in a religious poem , different culture have used the idiomatic expression for specific sets of bodies of pee . In different places and at different times , it was applied to trade itinerary , regional waterways or the waters of far - away , alien position .
The ancient Greeks , who innovate the term to the West , applied it to the Adriatic , Aegean , Black , Caspian , Mediterranean and Red seas and the Persian Gulf .
To Medieval Arabian geographers and adventurer , the seven seas were the bodies of water they journey on voyages to the Far East , which theycalledthe Sea of Fars ( the advanced - day Persian Gulf ) , Larwi ( Gulf of Aden and Arabian Sea ) , Harkand ( Bay of Bengal ) , Kalah or Kalahbar ( Strait of Malacca ) , Salahit ( Singapore Strait ) , Kardanj ( the Gulf of Thailand and the part of the South China Sea between Sumatra and Borneo ) , and Sanji ( South China Sea ) .
Medieval Europeans , meanwhile , had a few different sets of seven sea that included the Adriatic , Aegean , Arabian , Baltic , Black , Caspian , Mediterranean , North and Red ocean , as well as the Persian Gulf , Indian Ocean and Atlantic Ocean .
During the Age of Exploration and the European breakthrough of the Americas , some sailor beganincludingNew World waters into the chemical group , so the seven sea included the Arctic , Atlantic , Indian and Pacific oceans , the Caribbean and Mediterranean sea and the Gulf of Mexico in unlike groupings .
The term is principally used figuratively today , but if you want to keep it literal , says NOAA , the earthly concern has five major ocean — the Arctic , Atlantic , Indian , Southern ( Antarctic ) and Pacific — and the Atlantic and Pacific are cut into north and south division by the equator , giving you seven “ seas ” to sail .
