Carthagenians, Phonecians and Punic
Little distinction is made by historians between Punic and Phonecian. As cultures, both were notable seafarers and shared the same roots of religion and language. The difference is purely geographic. The Phonecians were based on the eastern end of the Mediterranean and Red Seas and those labeled Punic were based on the west and out along the shores of the Atlantic. Prior to their destruction by Greek and Roman forces these were the dominant Mediterranean traders.
Historians also make little note that both groups had relatively easy access to the world's oceans. Ports on the Red Sea gave access to the Indian and Pacific and ports along North Africa and European Iberia gave access to the Atlantic.
Which group left their marks at Inyo is unknown. The ship and Tanit figure could have been left by either. Both groups of People shared a similar alphabet, distinguished by the long deliberate tails on the letters. The brief, possibly unfinished, example of Punic (or Phonecian) writing shown below has yet to be translated, but the identification of the alphabet is not seriously questioned.
