The Life and Times of a Merchant Sailor: The Archaeology and History of the Norwegian Ship "Catharine" (The Springer Series in Underwater Archaeology) [Hardcover]

Jason M. Burns (Author)

Book Description

Series: The Springer Series in Underwater Archaeology | Publication Date: November 1, 2002

Historical archaeologists are in a unique position to analyze both historical documents and archaeological data in order to generate hypotheses and draw conclusions. In this work, the data not only provided the history of the ship "Catharine" but also the economic, social and political environments in which the ship was built and employed. This work focuses not only on the shipwreck and the wrecking event, but on the history and archaeology of a single ship. With this expanded view, the research also delves into: *International shipbuilding; *The struggle for dominance in the ship trade in the 19th century. This book will be of interest to underwater, historical and cultural archaeologists, social historians, cultural heritage managers and archaeologists working in the southeastern United States.

Editorial Reviews

Review

From the reviews: "Burns successfully uses a wide assortment of historical information along with the results of a recent archaeological survey to tell the story of the wreck of a nineteenth-century merchant vessel off Pensacola, Florida. … The bibliographic references are wide-ranging, with a good mixture of historical studies, period documents related to shipbuilding, and modern comparative archaeological studies. … In sum, Burns offers an interesting story that is well researched and well written." (Dennis Knepper, Maritime Archaeological and Historical Society, Vol. 17 (1), Spring 2006)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 110 pages
• Publisher: Springer; 1 edition (November 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0306473895
• ISBN-13: 978-0306473890
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.2 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,242,975 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars review from Historical Archaeology Vol 38, p 133, December 31, 2004

By 

Barto Arnold "INA archaeologist" (College Station, TX United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Life and Times of a Merchant Sailor: The Archaeology and History of the Norwegian Ship "Catharine" (The Springer Series in Underwater Archaeology) (Hardcover)

Extracts from a reviewed by Troy J.Nowak, Nautical Archaeology Program, Texas A&M University

One of the most exciting aspects of historical archaeology is the possibility for the researcher to connect archaeological finds with contemporary documents. When available, historical records breathe life into the material remains of heart pass and allow them to recount tales related to the political, economic, and social environments in which they function. The life and times a merchant sailor combines these resources "... to gain an insight into the broader historical and cultural milieu of 19th-century Norwegian ships and their connection to a Norwegian maritime economies" (p. vii)....
Catherine fought a severe gale on its approach to the interests of Pensacola Bay on 7 August 1894.... unable to reach the bay, Catherine ran aground in the Gulf of Mexico near Santa Rosa Island. Ernst describes the wrecking of the Catherine, through his study of United States lifesaving service reports and contemporary newspaper accounts that provide details ranging from the time of the wrecking and the rescue of its crew, to its final sale and salvage.
Today, Catherine lies within the boundaries of Gulf Islands national seashore and is a popular destination for local divers and fishermen....
The Life and Times of a merchant sailor is generally a well researched and formative study. The amount of historical documentation available to the author was extensive, although little new information relating to late 19th century ships and shipping was gleaned from the archaeological remains. The value of this work is in its use of Catherine and is a case study to discuss aspects of late 19th-century international trade in the resourcefulness of Norway's merchant marine.