Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-g8jcs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-22T16:12:57.907Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

The marine environment and its influence on seafaring and maritime routes in the prehistoric Aegean

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 January 2017

Despoina Papageorgiou*
Affiliation:
Athens, Greece

Abstract

This article seeks to illustrate the decisive contribution of the sea environment and particularly the sea-surface circulation (which is determined by the circulation of sea currents and the winds) to the early growth of seafaring and maritime communications in the prehistoric Aegean. Given the means and techniques of navigation in that era, an attempt is made to reveal a dense network of sea routes which vessels could follow through the Aegean, in order to facilitate their trip. These sea routes are primarily based on environmental data and are confirmed concurrently by archaeological evidence and data of ancient sources. Therefore, it is evident that these sea routes played an important role not only in the early inhabitation of the Aegean islands and the foundation of coastal settlements throughout the Aegean area from the sixth millennium BC to the end of the third millennium BC, but in the development of the Aegean civilization during earlier prehistoric times as well.

Cet article essaie d'illustrer la contribution décisive de l'environnement marin et en particulier de la circulation en surface de l'eau (déterminée par la circulation des courants et des vents) sur le début de l'expansion de la navigation et des communications maritimes en Égée préhistorique. Étant donné les moyens et les techniques de navigation à cette époque, on essaie de déceler un dense réseau de voies maritimes que les vaisseaux pouvaient suivre à travers la mer Égée afin de faciliter leur voyage. Ces voies sont essentiellement fondées sur des données environnementales, et sont simultanément confirmées par des preuves archéologiques et des données provenant de sources anciennes. Par conséquent il est évident que ces routes jouaient un rôle important non seulement dans la première colonisation des îles Égéennes et la fondation des villages côtiers dans toute la région Égéenne à partir du 6e millénaire BC jusqu'à la fin du 3e millénaire BC, mais également dans le développement de la civilisation Égéenne pendant les temps préhistoriques plus anciens.

Zusammenfassung

Zusammenfassung

Diese Studie versucht den entscheidenden Beitrag der marinen Umwelt und besonders der Zirkulation der Meeresoberfläche, die von den Meeresströmungen und Winden beeinflusst wird, für die frühe Entwicklung der Seefahrt und maritimen Kommunikation in der vorgeschichtlichen Ägäis zu illustrieren. Die Mittel und Techniken der Navigation in dieser Zeit vorausgesetzt, wird der Versuch der Ermittlung eines dichten Netzwerkes von Seerouten, dem die Schiffe zur Erleichterung ihrer Reise durch die Ägäis folgen konnten, unternommen. Diese Seerouten basieren grundsätzlich auf Umweltdaten und werden durch archäologische Belege und Daten aus frühen Quellen belegt. Daher ist es offenkundig, dass diese Seerouten nicht nur bei der frühen Besiedlung der ägäischen Inseln und der Gründung von Küstensiedlungen in der Ägäis vom 6. bis zum 3. Jt. v. Chr., sondern bereits ebenso während der Entwicklung der ägäischen Zivilisation in früheren vorgeschichtlichen Zeiträumen, eine bedeutende Rolle spielten.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © 2008 Sage Publications 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Agouridis, CH., 1997. Sea routes and navigation in the third millennium Aegean. Oxford Journal of Archaeology 16(1):124.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rhodius, Apollonius, 1967. Argonautica. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, The Loeb Classical Library, (trans. Seaton, R.C.).Google Scholar
Basch, L., 1987. Le musée imaginaire de la marine antique: 76154. Athénes: Institut Hellénique pour la préservation de la tradition nautique.Google Scholar
Bintliff, J., 1977. Natural Environment and Human Settlement in Prehistoric Greece. Oxford: British Archaeological Reports (International Series S28).Google Scholar
Bintliff, J., 1981. Archaeology and the Holocene evolution of coastal plains in the Aegean and circum-Mediterranean. In Brothwell, D. and Dimbleby, G. (eds), Environmental Aspects of Coasts and Islands, Symposia of the Association for Environmental Archaeology No.1:1131. Oxford: British Archaeological Reports (International Series S94).Google Scholar
Broodbank, C., 1989. The longboat and society in the Cyclades in the Keros-Syros Culture. American Journal of Archaeology 93:319337.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Broodbank, C., 2000. An Island Archaeology of the Early Cyclades. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Broodbank, C. and Strasser, T., 1991. Migrant farmers and the Neolithic colonization of Crete. Antiquity 65(247):233245.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Casson, L., 1971. Ships and Seamanship in the Ancient World. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.Google Scholar
Cherry, J.F., 2004. Mediterranean island prehistory: what's different and what's new. In Fitzpatrick, S. M. (ed.), The Archaeology of Islands. Voyages of Discovery: 233248. Westport, CT: Praeger.Google Scholar
Dalongeville, R. and Fouache, E., 2005. Les variations de la ligne de rivage en mer Mediterranée orientale du Pleistocene Superieur et de l'Holocene Recent. Paleorient 31(1):2738.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Doumas, CH., 1990. To 21–23/12/1989, ΛB’:17.Google Scholar
Doumas, CH., 2003. In Proceedings of the 7th Forum on the Mediterranean Maritime Heritage, Mediterranean Sea Routes: 21–31. Athens: Oinoussian Maritime Museum.Google Scholar
Jacobsen, T.W., 1969. Excavations at Porto Cheli and vicinity. Preliminary report II: The Franchthi Cave (1967–1968). Hesperia 38:343381.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jacobsen, T.W., 1999. Maritime mobility in the prehistoric Aegean: some practi-cal considerations. In Tzalas, H. (ed.), Tropis V, Proceedings of the Fifth International Symposium on Ship Construction in Antiquity, Nauplia 25–28 August 1993: 203217. Athens: Hellenic Institute for the Preservation of Nautical Tradition.Google Scholar
Kambouroglou, E., Maroukian, H. and Sampson, A., 1988. Coastal evolution and archaeology north and south of Khalkis (Euboea) in the last 5000 years. In Raban, A. (ed.), Archaeology of Coastal Changes. Proceedings of the International Symposium ‘Cities of the Sea - Past and Present’, Haifa, Israel, September 22–29, 1986: 7177. Oxford: British Archaeological Reports (International Series S404).Google Scholar
Kambouroglou, E., Sampson, A. and Maroukian, H., 1989. The coastal topography and archaeology of Manika, an EH town in east central Euboea, Greece. In Maniatis, Y. (ed.), Archaeometry. Proceedings of the 25th International Symposium, 1923 May 1986: 461467. Amsterdam: Elsevier.Google Scholar
Lamb, H., 1982. Reconstruction of the course of postglacial climate over the world. In Harding, A. (ed.), Climatic Change in Later Prehistory: 1132. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.Google Scholar
Lambec, K. K., 1996. Sea-level change and shore-line evolution in Aegean Greece since Upper Palaeolithic time. Antiquity 70(269):588611.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lambrou-Philippson, C., 1991. Seafaring in the Bronze Age Mediterranean. The parameters involved in maritime travel. In Laffineur, L. and Basch, Laffineur. (eds), Thalassa. L'Egée prehistorique et la mer. Actes de la troisieme rencontre égéenne internationale de l'Université de Liege, Calvi, Corse, 2325 Avril 1990: 1120. Liege: Université de Liege.Google Scholar
Manning, S.W., 1995. The Absolute Chronology of the Aegean Early Bronze Age. Archaeology, Radiocarbon and History. Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press (Monographs in Mediterranean Archaeology 1).Google Scholar
Mantzourani, E. and Theodorou, A., 1989. An attempt to delineate the sea routes between Crete and Cyprus during the Bronze Age. In Karageorghis, V. (ed.), The Civilizations of the Aegean and their Diffusion in Cyprus and the Eastern Mediterranean, 2000-600 BC. Proceedings of an International Symposium 18–24 September 1989: 3856. Larnaca: Pierides Foundation.Google Scholar
Marangou, C., 1991. Maquettes d'embarcations:les debuts. In Laffineur, L. and Basch, Laffineur. (eds), Thalassa. L' Egée préhistorique et la mer. Actes de la troisieme rencontre égéenne internationale de l'Université de Liege, Calvi, Corse, 2325 April 1990: 2142. Liege: Université de Liege.Google Scholar
Marangou, C., 2003. Neolithic watercraft in Greece: circumstantial evidence and serious guesses. In Beltrame, C. (ed.), Boats, Ships and Shipyards: 1418. Oxford: Oxbow Books.Google Scholar
Mc Coy, F., 1980. Climatic change in the eastern Mediterranean area during the past 240,000 years. In Doumas, Ch. (ed.), Thera and the Aegean World II: 79100. London: The Thera Foundation.Google Scholar
McGeehan-Liritzis, V., 1988. Seafaring, seacraft and cultural contact in the Aegean during the third millennium BC. International Journal of Nautical Archaeology 17(3):237256.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McGeehan-Liritzis, V, 1988–1989. Geomorphological changes in southern Greek coastlines and the effects on 3rd millennium BC settlement distribution and harbour locations. Anthropologika kai archaeologika chronika 3:4660.Google Scholar
Morton, J., 2001. The Role of Physical Environment in Ancient Greek Seafaring. Leiden, Boston and Koln: Brill.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Odyssey, 1984. Homer The Odyssey, vols I, II. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, Loeb Classical Library (trans. A.T. Murray).Google Scholar
Özdogan, M., 1985. A surface survey for prehistoric and early historic sites in Northwestern Turkey. National Geographic Society Research Reports (1979 Projects): 517541.Google Scholar
Özdogan, M., 1986. Prehistoric sites in the Gelibolu Peninsula. Anadolu Arastirmalari X:5166.Google Scholar
Papageorgiou, D., 1997. and La Rosa, V. (eds), 2225 1996: 424439. Athens: Scuola Archeologica Italiana, University of Athens.Google Scholar
Papageorgiou, D., 2002. Unpublished : National and Capodistrian University of Athens.Google Scholar
Papageorgiou, D., 2003. In (eds), 85100. Athens: Kathimerini.Google Scholar
Papageorgiou, D., 2004. 2002: 499515. Kalyvia Thorikou Attikis: Etaireia Meleton Notioanatolikis Attikis.Google Scholar
Papageorgiou, D., 2008. Sea routes in the prehistoric Cyclades. In Brodie, N., Doole, J., Gavalas, G. and Renfrew, C. (eds), Horizon An International Colloquium on the Prehistory of the Cyclades: 911. Cambridge: McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research.Google Scholar
Papathanasopoulos, G., 1976. Athens Annals of Archaeology 9:723.Google Scholar
Papathanasopoulos, G., 1989. 1989. To :2427.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Papathanasopoulos, G., 1996. Athens: N.P. Goulandris Foundation, Museum of Cycladic Art.Google Scholar
Perles, C., 2001. Early Neolithic in Greece. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pirazzoli, P., 1991. World Atlas of Holocene Sea-level Changes. Amsterdam: Elsevier (Elsevier Oceanography Series 58).Google Scholar
PLOIGOS: П. N. volumes A' 1971, 1976, 1987 1991.Google Scholar
Psychoyos, O., 1988. Deplacements de la ligne des rivages et sites archéologiques dans les regions coheres de la mer Egée, au Neolithique et a l'age du Bronze. Jonsered: Aströms Forlag (Studies in Mediterranean Archaeology, pocket book 62).Google Scholar
Raban, A., 1984. The Thera ships: Another interpretation. American Journal of Archaeology 88:1119.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rainbird, P. 2007. The Archaeology of Islands. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rapp, G. and Kraft, J., 1978. Aegean sea level changes in the Bronze Age. In Doumas, Ch. (ed.), Thera and the Aegean World I. Papers and Proceedings of the Second International Scientific Congress, Santorini, Greece, August 1978, Vol. I:183194. London: The Thera Foundation.Google Scholar
Renfrew, C., 1965. Obsidian in the Aegean. The Annual of the British School at Athens 60:225247.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Renfrew, C., 1972. The Emergence of Civilization: the Cyclades and the Aegean in the Third Millennium BC. London: Methuen.Google Scholar
Renfrew, C. and Wagstaff, M. (eds), 1982. An Island Polity: The Archaeology of Exploitation in Melos. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Ryan, W. and Pitman, W., 1998. Noah's Flood. New York: Simon & Schuster.Google Scholar
Severin, T., 1985. The Jason Voyage. The Quest for the Golden Fleece. London: Hutchinson.Google Scholar
Stanley, D. and Blanpied, C., 1980. The late Quaternary water exchange between the eastern Mediterranean and the Black Sea. Nature 285:537541.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Syiuopoulos, K., 1994. 139. Athens: Archaeologiki Etaireia.Google Scholar
Televantou, CH., 2006. Andros. In Vlachopoulos, A. (ed.), Archaeology: Aegean Islands: 214219. Athens: Melissa.Google Scholar
Theodorou, A., 1996. Volos: University of Thessaly.Google Scholar
Theodorou, A. and Peiussoratis, C., 1991. Environmental considerations for design of the Athens sea outfall, Saronikos Gulf, Greece. Environmental Geology and Water Sciences 17(3):233248.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Theodorou, A., Theochaius, A. and Balopoulos, E., 1997. Circulation in the Cretan sea and adjacent regions in the late winter 1994. Oceanologica Acta 20(4):585596.Google Scholar
Tzalas, CH., 1989. Archaeologia 32:1120.Google Scholar
Van Andel, T.H. and Hackleton, J.C. S, 1982. Late Palaeolithic and Mesolithic coastlines of Greece and the Aegean. Journal of Field Archaeology 9(4):245254.Google Scholar
Zodiatis, G., 1991. The hydrological conditions and the circulation in the Cretan sea during late summer 1987. Annales Geophysicae 9:233238.Google Scholar
Zodiatis, G., 1993. Circulation of the Cretan seawater masses (eastern Mediterranean sea). Oceanologica Acta 16(2):107114.Google Scholar
Zodiatis, G., 1994. Advection of the Black sea water in the north Aegean sea. Global Atmosphere and Ocean System 2(1):4160.Google Scholar