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2015

Jack M. Sasson, ed., Civilizations of the Ancient Near East , 1995

2015

2015

The contents of Proposal is copyrighted by the 26 Ambassadors of Global Initiative: Early Watercraft - A global perspective of invention and development. And it is forbiden to use ideas from proposal without Ambassadors permissions. On the end of February 2018 the list of ambassadors count 61 ambassadors from 31 countries. On the end of August 2019 the list of ambassadors count 97 individual and 21 official institutional Ambassadors from 48 countries from all global continents. On the end of January 2020 the list of ambassadors count 110 individual and 32 official institutional Ambassadors from 53 countries from all continents. The findings of prehistoric vessels (e.g. EarlyWatercraft), logboats and dugout canoes as the oldest evidence (logboat from Pesse, Netherland) as the other forms of watercraft (reed-, skin-, bark- boats, rafts, etc.) all over the world mark the beginning of shipbuilding and transportation traditions and in the sense of far-reaching significance as well as navigation, mobility, orientation, networking, conquering, colonisation, travelling and consequently also the other inventions. Anthropological theory, however, even without the aid of real finds is widely accepted and claims that the watercraft began to be in use for at least 60k years, and some of them even state’ that watercraft has been used even by Homo erectus from 800k years ago. This great story of transportation on water, which is closely linked to man’s traditional coexistence with water and his life in aquatic environments has a strong symbolic meaning since the vast majority of humanity lives near the seas, lakes and rivers. In the general story of shipping traditions, shipbuilding and watercraft typology in the framework of world heritage, the simple prehistoric vessels or Early Watercraft have not been paid enough attention so far, although they definitely deserve it, as they represent the origins of the mankind’s navigational tradition.

Arts, 2019

Wachsmann, S., 2019. On the Interpretation of Watercraft in Ancient Art. Arts 8(165): 1-67. (doi:10.3390/arts8040165). (https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0752/8/4/165). In the past six decades since its inception, nautical archaeologists have excavated and studied the hulls, cargoes, and other remains of ancient watercraft. However, shipwrecks themselves only tell part of the story. The archaeological record is replete with examples of known shipwrecks from some cultures and periods, but, for others, no hulls exist in the known archaeological record. Vagaries of preservation generally prevent the upper parts and rigging of a vessel to survive in all but the most remarkable of cases. This paper reviews the role of iconographic representations in understanding ancient vessels and seafaring by presenting the issues, examining the limitations, proposing interpretative methods for, and finally by supplying specific examples of, ancient nautical depictions.

Pratna Samiksha Vol 10, 2019

Watercrafts were used not only in the coastal areas, but also in the hinterland regions in south India. The inscriptions and texts of south India, datable between seventh and sixteenth centuries ce, list several types of watercrafts that were used in south India. The watercrafts were employed for fishing, operating the sluices in the tanks for irrigation activities and river crossing. Some of the inscriptions give a detailed account of the irrigation and desilting activities related to tanks. Inscriptions from Nangavaram and Uttiramerur offer information on the boats operating in the tanks. In the tanks of Chingleput region, kattumaram rafts are operated by fisherfolk. Parisal type coracles are used in the rivers, more particularly in the river Kaveri. Based on the references in the inscriptions, the article discusses the different types of watercrafts used for inland navigation in south India.

Archaeological excavations in Kuwait have revealed the earliest remains anywhere of sea-going boats. The author explains these remains and the distribution of Ubaid pottery as evidence for a system of maritime exchange in the Arabian Neolithic driven by status and ceremony.

Australasian Journal of Maritime Archaeology 42 (2018) 39–52, 2018

The Indian state of Odisha, with its long coastline facing the Bay of Bengal, extensive riverine network and convenient anchorages, has enjoyed a sustained maritime history. Nevertheless, the lack of archaeological excavation of ancient watercraft has meant that evidence for water transport in Odisha has come from other sources. This article examines iconographical representations of watercraft found in temples across Odisha, as well as some from palm leaf manuscripts of the 18th and 19th centuries. The vessels depicted are both riverine and seagoing, and sport different types of planking and constructional features—some unique to Odisha. This iconography emphasises the intimate association between the royal families, deities and mariners of Odisha, and the important role that boats and ships traditionally have had in Odishan trade, transportation and warfare, and as a visual symbol of prestige. The traditional boats of Odisha are unique in design and style, but traditional boatbuilding in the region is declining due to rapid industrialisation and incorporation of modern materials. It is urgent, then, to document such craft and their depictions in ancient art, both for posterity and to aid in understanding and interpreting the rich maritime history of the region.

2011

Maritime Archaeology Graduate Symposium, Southampton, 29 – 31 March 2019, 2019

A much-debated issue in the field of the prehistoric Aegean Archaeology is the interpretation, ‘reconstruction’ and typological classification of the watercraft used during the Neolithic-Early Bronze Age period. Over the years, many scholars have attempted to conceive various types and define an Aegean boatbuilding tradition by implementing preconceived notions which do not reflect the realities and limitations of the Aegean realm. Thus, the methodological framework used so far is deficient since it seeks answers in evolutionary explanations which lead to over-generalisations, as are interpretations based on very limited data and unrelated comparanda. In the light of the newly discovered boats in the rock-art of the site of Vathy in Astypalaia, recorded by the present author with photogrammetric and GIS software, this research deconstructs previous interpretations of the extant data by reviewing the past literature in addition to the whole body of evidence of the Neolithic-Early Bronze Age. Additionally, the multilevel, interdisciplinary methodological framework is proposed as the optimal one because it exploits the tools of various disciplines and incorporates aspects of context, operating environment, available material, technological realities, etc., in the overall analysis. This framework, alongside a descriptive and statistical analysis of the evidence and a cluster analysis through morphological criteria, allows us to discern the broad categories of the vessels existed in the Aegean Basin during the period under study through a micro and macro perspective. This output can be then further analysed through a more technologically rigorous approach by exploiting the tools offered by naval architecture.

2015

The idea of the Initiative is based on 20 year of topic forming and developing which culminate in paper given on World Cultural Heritage Conference EUROMED 2014 (supported and organized by ISPRS, CIPA, ICOMOS, ICOM, ICCROM) which held in November 2014 in Lemessos, Cyprus. Paper were recognise as best paper on Conference and it was awarded by first Prize of WernerWeber Award. Paper was published in International Journal of Heritage in the Digital Era, Special Issue: EuroMed 2014 Best Papers, volume 3 number 4, 2014 by Miran Eriˇc: New reflections on the protection of World Heritage in the future: Global symbolic meaning of autochthonous and indigenous origins of water navigation, p. 597-612; [On line] Available at: https://www.academia.edu/11655103/New_reflections_on_\the_protection_of_World_Heritage_in_the_future_Global_symbolic_meaning_of_autochthonous_and_indigenous_origins_of_water_navigation

In the ancient and medieval world, watercraft were amongst the most complex items produced by society, often requiring significant levels of investment to build and subsequently maintain. Changes to maritime technology have the potential to inform us about changes to the wider society in which such technology was created and used. This paper explores the extent to which the Arab conquest of the south-eastern Mediterranean in the 7th century AD led to rapid changes in the existing traditions of maritime technology in that region.

2015

Vestiges of humankind's long-term interaction with the earth's rivers, lakes, oceans and seas lie beneath water, sand, soils and sediments in the form of archaeological waterlogged wooden ships and boats. These quintessential maritime artifacts, and the connections formed between humans and watercraft create an extensive artifact biography revealing a host of physical and metaphysical meanings. Over a span of the last nine millennium watercraft have acted as containers, vessels, a means of conveyance, a bridge, a home, a factory, a prison, a fortress or a life boat. They are emblematic of individuals and nations. Deep seated in many cultural beliefs, they are integral aspects of birth or renewal, and often a critical component for reaching the afterlife. All of these factors motivate individuals to save archaeological watercraft when discovered in the course of academic search and survey, or a civil/commercial excavation. Although attempts by professional conservators to stabilize waterlogged wooden watercraft first occurred in the early 1860s with the finds from Nydam Bog (Denmark), there was little change in methodological and philosophical approaches from then until after World War II. Following the war, a combination of new products, dissatisfaction with previously tried methods, and a shift in attitudes towards preserving representations of the past, ushered in a new era in the conservation of antiquities, and in particular watercraft. Over the last 60 years, incremental advancements have taken place concerning the conservation techniques applied to waterlogged archaeological wood and iii wooden structures. Investigations that focused primarily on methods that maintained the dimensional stabilization of the object are now beginning to share considerably more time with inquiries about the state of artifacts once stabilized and in storage or on display. The archaeological remains of one watercraft, La Belle discovered in the shallow waters of Matagorda Bay, Texas in 1995 provides a case study in this dissertation to address some of the issues surrounding the conservation of waterlogged ships and boats. iv DEDICATION To Suzanne: for years of support and sacrifice. v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to extend my deepest gratitude and sincerest thanks to each member of my doctoral committee. Dr. Wayne Smith (Chair) worked extensively with me during my early postgraduate development, encouraging me to consider studying aspects of waterlogged archaeological wood conservation, and instilling in me the need to assess critically conservation questions and continually push against preconditioned notions in order to find the suitable answer for a particular challenge. Dr. Kevin Crisman and David Woodcock A.I.A, accomplished scholars and leaders in their fields, were a source of continual inspiration who gave freely of their time whenever consulted. Finally, no greater thanks can go to Dr. Donny Hamilton, Director of the Conservation Research Laboratory and the La Belle Conservation Project, mentor, friend, and boss, without whom this dissertation could never had been completed. He placed his trust in me to undertake the conservation and reconstruction of La Belle, and although during the past few years, he probably felt considerable empathy for Sisyphus in urging me to finish writing, I can only hope that future achievements warrant his Herculean effort.

Material Culture Review/Revue de la culture …, 1994

This article explores the application ofmaterialculture theory and methodology to the study of historic small craft. Following a literature review of selected works of watercraft history and the fundamental characteristics of a material culture approach, two examples are given. Both are drawn from the late nineteenth century, a time when recreational boating began to be a major social and economic phenomenon in North America. The growth in popularity of the canoe as a vehicle of leisure instead of work took place within this context. Theoretical categories of workmanship are first applied to the development of Canadian canoe building techniques. Following this, two sailing canoes, designed and constructed some 30 years apart, are analysed in detail to show how they are differing responses to the same abstract design question of how to fit a canoe to sail. Finally, the meaning of recreational boats as objects of social consumption and production is considered.

2019

In the past six decades since its inception, nautical archaeologists have excavated and studied the hulls, cargoes, and other remains of ancient watercraft. However, shipwrecks themselves only tell part of the story. The archaeological record is replete with examples of known shipwrecks from some cultures and periods, but, for others, no hulls exist in the known archaeological record. Vagaries of preservation generally prevent the upper parts and rigging of a vessel to survive in all but the most remarkable of cases. This paper reviews the role of iconographic representations in understanding ancient vessels and seafaring by presenting the issues, examining the limitations, proposing interpretative methods for, and finally by supplying specific examples of, ancient nautical depictions.

IKUWA6 Shared Heritage: Proceedings of the Sixth International Congress for Underwater Archaeology, 2020

The management and presentation of cultural heritage over a given region requires a dedicated database which can store all relevant information (location, text, photography, 3D models, animations etc.) and an intuitive way of accessing this information (searching via different criteria such as geo-location, time-frame, type of find, state of preservation, etc.). We decided to test a recently available open source platform, Arches 3.0, to construct a database of all known logboats and other early watercraft in the country of Slovenia: the Early Watercraft Database. The software platforms of existing inventories are mostly proprietary, expensive to maintain and difficult to interconnect and upgrade to new requirements. Existing database inventories are therefore difficult to combine and this makes the study of early watercraft finds on a global scale, independent of modern state boundaries, more difficult. By contrast, information stored in applications developed on the Arches platform can be easily merged. The Early Watercraft Database application demonstrates the ability of the Arches platform to be employed for a wide range of applications; it can be used for small-scale solutions but it can also be extended to accommodate large-scale (global) inventory requirements. The Arches open source heritage inventory and management system is sponsored by the Getty Conservation Institute and the World Monuments Fund.

The paper examines the motives and context behind the complex maritime trading network which linked Mesopotamia with the Persian Gulf in the 6th and 5th millennia BC. This produced the world's earliest seafaring boat remains and earliest evidence for use of mast and sail.

Water is a central topic in the ancient Near Eastern studies: more than 60 years have passed and much has been done since the 1957 “hydraulic society” model, presented by Karl Wittfogel in his “Oriental Despotism”, but still in 2012, the late Tony Wilkinson, wrote that “Too often the archaeology of water is studied as a footnote to other areas of the ancient cultural record, or, simply presented as an interesting diversion from the ‘real’ archaeology of buildings, burials or artefacts.” (Water History 4: 155-176). Pointing to the importance of field research especially dedicated to the topic of water, he continued by underlying the need to generate an overall conceptual framework for dealing with ancient water systems and, to shift the focus away from the “water and power” perspective, towards a more nuanced understanding of water management, which would re-consider the effective role of the local management of water resources. The workshop aims at presenting and discussing the recent perspectives on water studies in the ancient Near East in an interdisciplinary perspective, which should contribute to the development of new interpretative models, able to enrich the long debate on where, how and when technologies related to water management in dry areas took place and which may be their role in the modern world, where water is considered as the key to a sustainable future. In particular, the presence and even the absence of water is a cultural and social cause that deeply influenced and affected the birth and development of settlements and urban centres: different waters co-existed and worked in the change of the environmental conditions of villages and cities, creating aquatic wet areas characterized by peculiar flora and fauna that are reflected in the economical, social and religious aspects of material culture.

Vestnik of Saint Petersburg University. History

Hear we overview the indigenous watercraft from northern Europe to Bering Strait and the Far East. Our purpose has been to document the types of boats, their history, and how they were made and used by the cultures of this vast region. Data have been gleaned from diverse sources, including archaeological finds, ethnographic descriptions, museum collections, photographs, historical documents, and reports of early trans-Siberian travelers. Because of space limitations, the summary provided here is devoted to bark boat traditions, with limited discussion of skin boats because the latter are better known in existing literature. Our work has been facilitated by Valentina V. Antropova, whose 1961 survey of Soviet/Russian watercraft guided much of our work. We describe four major canoe traditions, each coinciding with major river systems: Ob-Pechora, Yenesei, Lena, and Amur. Within each river system there may be several sub-types, e. g. Amur I and Amur II. Except in rock art, the history of bark boat development is very shallow as very few bark canoes have been preserved archaeologically. Paddles, however, indicate the presence of bark canoes as early as 8000 years ago. Some rock art depicts log canoes rather than bark or skin boats. Wooden planked boats replaced bark Harri T. Luukkanen -independent researcher,