The Oxford Handbook of Maritime Archaeology
Edited by Ben Ford, Donny L. Hamilton, and Alexis Catsambis
Abstract
The Oxford Handbook of Maritime Archaeology is a survey of the field as seen through the eyes of nearly fifty scholars at a time when maritime archaeology has established itself as a mature branch of archaeology. This volume draws on many of the distinct and universal aspects of maritime archaeology, bringing them together under four main themes: the research process, ships and shipwrecks, maritime and nautical culture, and issues of preservation and management. The first section of the book deals with the best practices for locating, documenting, excavating, and analyzing submerged sites. This methodological foundation is followed by a sample of shipwreck studies from around the world as scholars trace the regional development of ships and seafaring. Chosen to balance the traditional core regions of maritime archaeology with important but lesser-studied areas, it aims at offering an international account of the study of submerged sites. Reflecting the growing number of scholars who study past maritime cultures, but not shipwrecks, the third section of the book addresses various aspects of the maritime landscape and ethnography above and below the water. The final articles then approach maritime archaeology in a broader context, moving beyond archaeological sites to discuss the archaeological record in general within legal, preservation, and management frameworks.
Keywords:
maritime archaeology,
ships,
shipwrecks,
maritime culture,
nautical culture,
preservation,
management,
submerged sites,
seafaring
Bibliographic Information
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- Print Publication Date:
- Dec 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780199336005
- Published online:
- Sep 2012
- DOI:
- 10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199336005.001.0001
Editors
Ben Ford,
editor
Ben Ford is Assistant Professor of Anthropology at Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
Donny L. Hamilton,
editor
Donny L. Hamilton, the Center for Maritime Archaeology and Conservation & Nautical Archaeology Program at Texas A&M University.
Alexis Catsambis,
editor
Alexis Catsambis is an Underwater Archaelogist for the U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command.
