ANTH 629
Dr. Kevin Crisman
Office hours: Tu and Th 10-12, or by appointment
Location: ANTH 131b (inside the New World Seafaring Lab)
Email: kcrisman@tamu.edu
Phone: 979-492-0751
Course Description
This course examines archaeological and historical sources to chronicle and explore the development of shipbuilding, seafaring practices, world exploration, waterborne trade and economic systems, and naval warfare in Europe and around the world (except the Americas) from the fifteenth century to the beginning of the twentieth century. Archaeological studies of shipwrecks, ships’ equipment, and cargoes provide a focal point for investigating change and continuity in the maritime sphere over five centuries.
Course Requirements
Seminar Presentations and Discussions (50% of final grade)
During the semester each student will choose several topics to research and present in class (the number of presentations you make will depend upon the size of the class). Presentations should be around forty minutes in length, try to keep within this time limit. Please prepare and distribute a bibliography of the sources consulted for your seminar presentation (Note: this is part of your presentation grade, so make sure 1) You prepare a bibliography; 2) It has your name on it; and 3) Your professor gets a copy). Use of visual aids is strongly encouraged.
Seminar presentations will be graded on the basis of their thoroughness, organization, and clarity, as well as their inclusion of illustrations (where appropriate) and the distribution of a bibliography of sources consulted in preparing the presentation.
Term Paper (50% of final grade)
In addition to the seminar presentations, each student will research and write a professional, publishable-quality term paper on some aspect of post-medieval seafaring. The first step, after selecting a topic and researching sources, will be to prepare a three page “term paper proposal” modeled on a thesis proposal; in the proposal you will state the nature and importance of the question, discuss previous research and potential sources, outline your plan for analysis of the topic, and summarize the significance of the proposed research. A separate bibliography of primary and secondary sources that you intend to use in preparing the term paper must be included. The term paper proposal is due by Week 5
The optimal length for a term paper is 20-25 pages of text (12-point font, double spaced), although papers of a greater or lesser length will be accepted (note: longer does not necessarily mean better!). The paper must adhere to the requirements and recommendations provided in my “Guidelines for Writing Your Term Paper” handout. The paper is to be submitted on or before Week 15. Submitting your paper after this date will result in a lower grade.
My term paper grading criteria are as follows: (“A”) research, analysis, writing, and citation are professional and with minimal editing the paper could be published as a journal article or book chapter; (“B”) paper is good in most respects, but due to shortcomings in one or more areas would require significant editing before publication would be possible; (“C”) paper is at lowest levels of acceptability, and would require major new research or re-writing to achieve publishable standards; (“D”) paper falls below lowest levels of acceptability in research, analysis, writing, and citation; (“F”) paper fails to meet all professional standards, or the professor has found evidence of plagiarism.
The final grade: 50% class presentations/participation and 50% term paper.
ALL COURSES
- ANTH 313 – Historical Archaeology
- ANTH 316 – Nautical Archaeology
- ANTH 317 – Introduction To Biblical Archaeology
- ANTH 318 – Nautical Archaeology of the Americas
- ANTH 323 – Nautical Archaeology Of The Ancient Mediterranean
- ANTH 353 – Archaeology Of Ancient Greece
- ANTH 354 – Archaeology of Ancient Italy
- ANTH 402 – Archaeological Artifact Conservation
- ANTH 417 – Naval Warfare & Warships In Ancient Greece And Rome
- ANTH 418 – Romans, Arabs, and Vikings
- ANTH 420 – History and Archaeology of Pirates, Privateers, and Sea Raiders
- ANTH 436 – Ancient Egypt
- ANTH 438 – Ancient Egypt II
- ANTH 464-664 – Cultural Heritage and Resource Management
- ANTH 603 – Seafaring Life and Maritime Communities 1450-1950
- ANTH 605 – Conservation of Archaeological Materials I
- ANTH 606 – Conservation of Archaeological Materials II
- ANTH 608 – Skills in Maritime Archaeology
- ANTH 610 – Outfitting And Sailing The Wooden Ship 1400-1900
- ANTH 611 – Introduction To Nautical Archaeology
- ANTH 612 – Preclassical Seafaring
- ANTH 613 – Classical Seafaring
- ANTH 615 – History Of Wooden Shipbuilding Technology
- ANTH 616 – Research and Reconstruction of Ships
- ANTH 617 – Conservation of Archaeological Materials III
- ANTH 628 – New World Seafaring Anthropology
- ANTH 629 – Post-Medieval Seafaring Anthropology
- ANTH 663 – Analytical Methods in Archaeology and Conservation
- ANTH 685 – Archaeological Diving: Skills and Methods
Course Schedule:
(The schedule is a subject to change, revisions, and refinements which will be posted)
| Week 1 | Introduction |
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| Week 2 | Transitions in Ship Technology. |
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| Week 3 |
The Naval Revolution Realized: Henry VIII’s Mary Rose. |
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| Week 4 | The Discovery of the World in the 16th Century. |
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| Week 5 | TBA. Term paper proposals due | |
| Week 6 | Portugal’s Maritime Endeavors in Asia. |
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| Week 7 | 1588: The Year of the Spanish Armada. |
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| Week 8 | The Dutch East India Company. |
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| Week 9 | The Rise of National Navies: Seventeenth-Century Warships. |
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| Week 10 | Seventeenth- and Eighteenth-century Merchant Craft. |
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| Week 11 | The Apogee of the Royal Navy. |
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| Week 12 | The Transition to Iron and Steam. |
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| Week 13 | Dreadnoughts and the Coming of the Great War. |
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| Week 14 | Presentation of Term Paper Research | |
