Suchergebnisse

For small islands and island groups, the sea plays a central role in the lives of those that inhabit them. The sea provides avenues of connectivity, by means of which people, goods and ideas can travel. Benefits from such interchanges are often countered by certain negative aspects such as destruction brought about by both natural and anthropogenic aspects such as storms and piracy. Therefore, any written history of an island or of an archipelago, be it social, economic or demographic, must take into continuous consideration the influence of the sea on the lives of the islanders. This is true for both short-term everyday happenings as well as for the long duree ´. Furthermore, such histories have to be written with islands placed within the broader schemes of political, commercial and cultural activities that surround them. The volume under review is a bold attempt to study the history of human interaction and the sea in the context of the Maltese Islands throughout the circa 8000 years since humans first occupied them. In the preface, the author states that the book will contain ''a general overview of essential facts, geographic and oceanographic'' as well of reviews of major historical texts, archaeological evidence from an underwater context and ''an alternative interpretation of how the history of the archipelago evolved within a wider Mediterranean context''. So far so good, the author clearly maps out the chronological timeframe she is to tackle, the evidence she intends to utilize as well as the context, both natural and historical, within which the book is written. This book contains 184 pages of main text and 100 of appendices. In the forward, the series editors outline the contents of this work and it is not surprising that they highlight the vast chronological span of the book with specific references to various phases of Malta's history. However, after a quick glance of the table of contents one may observe that the author's main focus is on the period covering the rule of the Order of St John in Malta (1530‐1798), with 100 pages dedicated to this period. On the other hand, the remainder of the 7732 years receive just 67 pages. This imbalance is a common and recurrent feature in generic volumes written by a variety of scholars treating Malta's past. ; N/A

"In From Egypt to Mesopotamia, Samuel Mark ferrets out the two possible trade routes between these two vastly different cultures. Ancient shipwreck sites and recently discovered artifacts allow Mark to delineate avenues of trade between Egypt and Mesopotamia. Taking to task previous studies that describe the Egypt-Mesopotamia trade connection as being one between two homogeneous cultures, Mark focuses on the variety of cultural differences, rather than their shared similarities, to map the infusion of these cultures."--Jacket.

A strict isochrony of fragments of Haltern 70 baetican amphorae (probably wine containers), Italian Sigillata, and a few fragments of thin-walled pottery and common ware led to the identification of a shipwreck at Cortiçais, on the southern rocky coast of the paleo-island of Peniche, to-day a peninsula. Within the chronology initially suggested by the amphora materials, the fineware findings support a date around the transition of the Era (15 BC to 15AD). The analysis of the data collected fits in with the known patterns of foreign trade and geostrategic and economic role of this coastal region two millenia ago. The tiny shipwreck site fits within the broader pattern including the expansion of Rome's power towards the Iberian Northwest, the related trade or military supply networks established along the Atlantic route and the debate regarding their relationship with trade routes towards Britannia and Germania Inferior.

This open access volume provides for the first time a comprehensive description and scientific evaluation of underwater archaeological finds referring to human occupation of the continental shelf around the coastlines of Europe and the Mediterranean when sea levels were lower than present. These are the largest body of underwater finds worldwide, amounting to over 2500 find spots, ranging from individual stone tools to underwater villages with unique conditions of preservation. The material reviewed here ranges in date from the Lower Palaeolithic period to the Bronze Age and covers 20 countries bordering all the major marine basins from the Atlantic coasts of Ireland and Norway to the Black Sea, and from the western Baltic to the eastern Mediterranean. The finds from each country are presented in their archaeological context, with information on the history of discovery, conditions of preservation and visibility, their relationship to regional changes in sea-level and coastal geomorphology, and the institutional arrangements for their investigation and protection. Editorial introductions summarise the findings from each of the major marine basins. There is also a final section with extensive discussion of the historical background and the legal and regulatory frameworks that inform the management of the underwater cultural heritage and collaboration between offshore industries, archaeologists and government agencies. The volume is based on the work of COST Action TD0902 SPLASHCOS, a multi-disciplinary and multi-national research network supported by the EU-funded COST organisation (European Cooperation in Science and Technology). The primary readership is research and professional archaeologists, marine and Quaternary scientists, cultural-heritage managers, commercial and governmental organisations, policy makers, and all those with an interest in the sea floor of the continental shelf and the human impact of changes in climate, sea-level and coastal geomorphology.

In 1958, one of the first projects to carry out a systematic archaeological campaign underwater began off the coast of Asia Minor. At Cape Gelidonya, the wreck of a Bronze Age ship was investigated. To understand the concrete problems and working methods of underwater archaeology, it is important to account not only for the tangible objects of research and the technical aids used, but also the natural features and the political framework in which actors operated. Situated in the years between the end of the colonial era and the Cold War, this article traces the biographical paths that brought together central actors at the site of the discovery. This perspective is necessary for understanding why divers who were not established archaeologists initiated and carried out the campaign. The article also analyzes the research of the campaign carried out 1960 and explores some of the difficulties and solutions encountered in working underwater. The article is a contribution to the still unwritten history of underwater archaeology.

Whether deployed in space or on the surface of the earth, remote sensing instruments are increasingly becoming standard archaeological tools. Space age techniques have begun to accumulate a wealth of information and unusual evidence such as the presence of sand-buried courses of ancient rivers in the Sahara and the associated remains of human occupations. Perhaps as important, some have been able to gather priceless knowledge without disturbing fragile sites--a capability that is particularly significant in this era of conservation. Remote Sensing in Archaeology illustrates the uses of advanced technology in archaeological investigation. It deals with hand-held instruments that probe the subsurface of the earth to unveil layering and associated sites; underwater exploration and photography of submerged sites and artifacts; and the utilization of imaging from aircraft and spacecraft to reveal the regional setting of archaeological sites and to assist in cultural resource management. In each case, the technical developments are explained first, followed by examples of applications as case studies. Contributors are renowned experts from the international scientific community. Each chapter is composed as a self-standing contribution with a summary and an introduction to help the reader grasp the value of its contents. The book is profusely illustrated with graphs and photographs to explain the methodologies and results, so that the reader may better understand the principles involved and apply the knowledge gained to similar environments. Complete lists of references cited will also allow the reader to investigate more deeply the problems and findings. "This book provides an excellent and diverse overview of the emerging capability of remote sensing archaeology and is a very valuable and important text for archaeologists in their quest to use advanced technology to help in their studies of exploration, and for remote sensing technologists and scientists by giving them a good understanding of the challenges that archaeologists find in their endeavors. The editors are to be applauded for bringing together such an excellent collection of authors and articles to cover this important emerging field."--Charles Elachi, Director, Jet Propulsion Laboratory (NASA), Pasadena, California

This open access volume provides for the first time a comprehensive description and scientific evaluation of underwater archaeological finds referring to human occupation of the continental shelf around the coastlines of Europe and the Mediterranean when sea levels were lower than present. These are the largest body of underwater finds worldwide, amounting to over 2500 find spots, ranging from individual stone tools to underwater villages with unique conditions of preservation. The material reviewed here ranges in date from the Lower Palaeolithic period to the Bronze Age and covers 20 countries bordering all the major marine basins from the Atlantic coasts of Ireland and Norway to the Black Sea, and from the western Baltic to the eastern Mediterranean. The finds from each country are presented in their archaeological context, with information on the history of discovery, conditions of preservation and visibility, their relationship to regional changes in sea-level and coastal geomorphology, and the institutional arrangements for their investigation and protection. Editorial introductions summarise the findings from each of the major marine basins. There is also a final section with extensive discussion of the historical background and the legal and regulatory frameworks that inform the management of the underwater cultural heritage and collaboration between offshore industries, archaeologists and government agencies. The volume is based on the work of COST Action TD0902 SPLASHCOS, a multi-disciplinary and multi-national research network supported by the EU-funded COST organisation (European Cooperation in Science and Technology). The primary readership is research and professional archaeologists, marine and Quaternary scientists, cultural-heritage managers, commercial and governmental organisations, policy makers, and all those with an interest in the sea floor of the continental shelf and the human impact of changes in climate, sea-level and coastal geomorphology.