Myos Hormos
Myos Hormos () was a Red Sea port founded by the Ptolemy II Philadelphus upon a headland of similar name, around the 3rd century BC. Later, it was renamed to Aphrodites Hormos () but the elder appellation is more generally retained. Following excavations carried out recently by David Peacock and Lucy Blue of the University of Southampton, it is thought to have been located on the present-day site of Quseir al-Quadim (old Quseir), eight kilometres north of the modern town of El Qoseir in Egypt. Etymology The Myos Hormos may mean the "Harbour of the Mouse", but most probably meant the "Harbour of the Mussel" (μύειν, to close, e.g. the shell), since on the neighbouring coast the pearl mussel was collected in large quantities. Also, it seems to be obtained the designation of Aphrodite (foam of the sea), from the abundance of sea-sponge found in its bay. History Ptolemy II Philadelphus selected it for the principal harbour of the trade with India, in preference to Arsinoe, since Arsinoe was at the head of the Red Sea and there was a tedious and difficult navigation down the Heroopolite Gulf. Vessels from Myos Hormos traded with Africa, Arabia, and India. After the