Oceans, Islands, and Coasts: Current Perspectives on the Role of the Sea in Human Prehistory

Abstract

Archaeological studies of island and coastal societies have advanced significantly over the years. Long marginalized as relatively recent developments, coastal, maritime, and island adaptations are now recognized as having a much longer and more complex history. Consequently, the archaeology of island and coastal societies has become increasingly relevant to a variety of important anthropological and historical topics. In this paper, we discuss some current issues in island and coastal archaeology, including: (1) the antiquity of coastal adaptations and maritime migrations; (2) variations in marine or coastal productivity; (3) the development of specialized maritime technologies and capabilities; (4) underwater archaeology and drowned terrestrial landscapes; (5) cultural responses to insularity, isolation, and circumscription; (6) cultural contacts and historical processes; (7) human impacts and historical ecology in island and coastal ecosystems; and (8) the conservation and management of island and coastal sites.

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