The Mediterranean's islands have for millennia served as cultural crossroads and hubs for the movements of peoples, objects, and ideas. Island histories are reflected especially in sites and artifacts of maritime life: ancient ports and shipwrecked cargos; traditions and tools of marine resource exploitation; and boats that moved sailors, traders, warriors, fishermen, and displaced peoples across the ages. This course focuses on theoretical and practical engagement with the field, laboratory, and digital methods used by archaeologists to record and understand the deep cultural heritage of islands along and under the sea, aiming to prepare students for fieldwork. From year to year, this course will highlight different case studies in the Mediterranean, with a particular focus on its larger islands.
3-5 units · Satisfactory/No Credit
The Mediterranean's islands have for millennia served as cultural crossroads and hubs for the movements of peoples, objects, and ideas. Island histories are reflected especially in sites and artifacts of maritime life: ancient ports and shipwrecked cargos; traditions and tools of marine resource exploitation; and boats that moved sailors, traders, warriors, fishermen, and displaced peoples across the ages. This course focuses on theoretical and practical engagement with the field, laboratory, and digital methods used by archaeologists to record and understand the deep cultural heritage of islands along and under the sea, aiming to prepare students for fieldwork. From year to year, this course will highlight different case studies in the Mediterranean, with a particular focus on its larger islands.
Offered in Spring 2027 at Stanford University.