This work presents new methodological approaches and perspectives on the relationship between past humans and maritime environments by focusing specifically on the geochemical traces left by the users and inhabitants of coastlines. In order to do so it proposes four novel scientific techniques presented in four case-study papers, together with best practice protocols that archaeologists can use to conduct similar studies on other sites. These methods were designed to allow for convenient data collection, fast sample processing, sound statistical analysis, and meaningful data interpretations; all this in order to better understand past human activity in coastal areas. The thesis addresses various themes related to the character of human activity, its chronology, spatial distribution, zonation, and linkage to the neighboring waterbody. It tackles issues linked with geochemical signal preservation in different post-depositional contexts, and discusses various modes of soil sampling, extraction and elemental analysis (eg. colorimetric method, portable XRF or XRF core scanning), as well as problems related to geo-statistical analysis of complex, spatially distributed, multivariable datasets. In terms of its geographical scope, this thesis explores coastal sites and archaeological features in the North Atlantic region, and it covers vast chronological spectrum from the Stone Age to the Early Modern period. However, the results are considered universally applicable to any type of site and any period. Hopefully, by providing new sources of archaeological evidence, this work will inspire a lively discussion on the global maritime cultural landscape and the best methods for studying it.

Typescript. / Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hawaii at Manoa, 1973. / Bibliography: leaves [283]-287. / v, 287 l illus., map, tables

Typescript. / Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hawaii at Manoa, 1986. / Bibliography: leaves 420-439. / Photocopy. / xvi, 439 leaves, bound 29 cm

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Florida State University, 2005. / Advisor: Dr. William A. Parkinson, Florida State University, College of Arts and Sciences, Dept. of Anthropology. Title and description from dissertation home page (viewed June 10, 2005). Document formatted into pages; contains xxii, 302 pages. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M. A.), Memorial University of Newfoundland, 1998. / Bibliography: leaves 124-136.

Nautical archaeology has made remarkable advances since its inception half a century ago, but one area in need of more attention is the examination of cultural aspects of seafaring. This dissertation advances understanding of eighteenth- through early-twentieth century British and American maritime culture by exploring traditional memorialization practices. Interpretations are based primarily on analysis of 412 maritime memorials recorded during two archaeological surveys in Great Britain and the United States. In addition, primary accounts from the Age of Sail are utilized to place maritime memorialization into its proper cultural and historical context. Research reveals three major themes in Anglo-American maritime memorialization. First, memorials show a striking concern for the dangers and hardships of life at sea. Numerous memorials describe the perils of the natural world and the group values that mariners developed to cope with the ever-present possibility of sudden death. Such values include attention to duty, courage, group loyalty, self-sacrifice, and pride. Second, maritime communities faced the problem of commemorating those who never returned from the sea. Many sailors were lost at sea or died aboard ship or in distant lands. In the vast majority of such cases, the body was never returned home, and many did not receive proper burial. As a result, family members and fellow sailors created memorials to honor the lost and to symbolically lay the deceased to rest. Evidence indicates, however, that such attempts were not entirely satisfactory. Many epitaphs lament the fact that empty graves cannot provide an adequate substitute for missing bodies. Finally, investigation revealed a significant increase in religious sentiment on maritime memorials from the mid-nineteenth century until the end of the Age of Sail. It is suggested that the increase in maritime religious sentiment was linked to nineteenth-century religious reform movements. The prevalence of religious imagery and inscriptions on maritime memorials during this time, however, probably does not indicate that most sailors became religious. Rather, most religious maritime memorials were erected by sailors' families. This suggests that maritime families turned to religion as a source of comfort when faced with the deaths of loved ones at sea.

Nautical archaeology has made remarkable advances since its inception half a century ago, but one area in need of more attention is the examination of cultural aspects of seafaring. This dissertation advances understanding of eighteenth- through early-twentieth century British and American maritime culture by exploring traditional memorialization practices. Interpretations are based primarily on analysis of 412 maritime memorials recorded during two archaeological surveys in Great Britain and the United States. In addition, primary accounts from the Age of Sail are utilized to place maritime memorialization into its proper cultural and historical context. Research reveals three major themes in Anglo-American maritime memorialization. First, memorials show a striking concern for the dangers and hardships of life at sea. Numerous memorials describe the perils of the natural world and the group values that mariners developed to cope with the ever-present possibility of sudden death. Such values include attention to duty, courage, group loyalty, self-sacrifice, and pride. Second, maritime communities faced the problem of commemorating those who never returned from the sea. Many sailors were lost at sea or died aboard ship or in distant lands. In the vast majority of such cases, the body was never returned home, and many did not receive proper burial. As a result, family members and fellow sailors created memorials to honor the lost and to symbolically lay the deceased to rest. Evidence indicates, however, that such attempts were not entirely satisfactory. Many epitaphs lament the fact that empty graves cannot provide an adequate substitute for missing bodies. Finally, investigation revealed a significant increase in religious sentiment on maritime memorials from the mid-nineteenth century until the end of the Age of Sail. It is suggested that the increase in maritime religious sentiment was linked to nineteenth-century religious reform movements. The prevalence of religious imagery and inscriptions on maritime memorials during this time, however, probably does not indicate that most sailors became religious. Rather, most religious maritime memorials were erected by sailors' families. This suggests that maritime families turned to religion as a source of comfort when faced with the deaths of loved ones at sea.

In a town in northern Norway, the sailors on whale-watching boats meet whales in their daily work. Many have up to 30 years’ experience in locating the whales, through sight or submerged microphones, and in positioning the boats in non-intrusive ways that respect the whales’ life in the open water. But in spite of this continued, long-lasting contact, the sailors agree that there is not much that can be known about the whales. This study, based on interviews to the five seamen of one whale-watching company, explores the resources on which the sailors can draw to make sense of the underwater beings they interact with. Departing from the ontological paradigm that sees the world as made up of overlapping realities, the author draws on different aspects of multispecies theory to explore how anthropomorphism, technology, and kinship are key elements that make up the sailors’ relational ontology with whales. This is analysed in the light of the doctrine of opacity, which posits that it is not necessary to know the mind of others to have successful relations. This study hopes to further the exploration of topics within maritime anthropology, and to contribute to a better understanding of human/underwater beings that leads to the preservation of their environment.

Dans cette thèse, je propose à la fois un examen minutieux des activités maritimes butonaises et un dialogue entre ce cas ethnographique et son contexte austronésien. Pour cela, je mobilise notamment l'approche phénoménologique (et principalement les travaux de Merleau-Ponty sur la perception) ainsi que l'approche historico-culturelle de la cognition développée par Vygotsky. Outre les données ethnographiques inédites concernant le monde butonais (zone linguistique cia-cia), l'analyse développée ici conduit à plusieurs contributions importantes concernant la reconstruction du monde austronésien, le débat universalisme-relativisme dans le cadre de l'anthropologie cognitive ainsi que l'usage de la méthode ethnographique - en mettant l'accent sur la transformation de l'ethnographe au cours du terrain comme objet de connaissance. / This thesis proposes a detailed analysis of Butonese maritime activities as well as a dialogue between this ethnographic case study and its Austronesian context. The analysis relies in particular on Merleau-Ponty's phenomenological analysis of perception and on Vygotsky's historico-cultural conception of cognition. Besides presenting a wealth of new data about the Butonese world (and more specifically the cia-cia linguistic area), the analysis developed here leads to major contributions about the reconstruction of the Austronesian world, the universalism-relativism debate within cognitive anthropology and the use of ethnographic methodology - emphasizing on the ethnographer's own transformation.

Univ., Diss.--Helsinki, 2006.