"phute'okicu" and other new animals

[Rory M Larson]

I'm not following why ancient Hebrews and 7th century Arabs should have
been ignorant of whales.  They both had coasts, or were very close to
people that did, the former on the Mediterranean and the latter on the Red
Sea, Persian Gulf and Indian Ocean.  Even if whales were never sighted at
sea by sailors, they would still be known through occasional beachings.
This was not the middle of a large continent, as for MVS peoples.  I'm sure
whales would have been well known throughout most of the Middle East since
the beginning of human habitation there.

Rory
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