Innovations in Early Maritime Technology in Mesopotamia and the Arabian Gulf

Abstract

ObjectiveThe objective of the article is to address the following fundamental questions: First, to what extent can Bronze Age maritime technology in Mesopotamia and the Gulf be considered an example of historical innovation, given the limited set of evidence? Second, what are the challenges of effectively measuring and analyzing maritime technological “innovation” in this period? Third, what methodologies have been recently developed to help us better understand these innovations?MethodsThe method relies on historical‐archaeological analysis of the evidence as well as experimental archaeological reconstruction.ResultsThe study suggest that while the archaeological and textual evidence clearly shows that innovations took place, the paucity of that evidence limits any detailed analysis of innovation.ConclusionDue to the limited data currently available to us, maritime experimental archaeology provides the best methodology for potentially understanding these innovations until further archaeological discoveries are made related to the subject.