Types of explanation in maritime archaeology: The case of the SS XANTHO

Abstract

The central aim of this paper is to open up debate about different theoretical approaches which can be used to provide explanations in maritime archaeology (see recent papers in Underwater Archaeology 1996, 1997). We use the example of the wreck of the iron steamship SS Xantho (1848-72) to explore the utility of processual and post-processual approaches, as commonly used in terrestrial archaeology (cf. Lamberg-Karlovsky 1989; Shanks and Tilley 1992), to provide 'explanations' in maritime archaeology. While fully acknowledging the need for, and role of, historical particularist perspectives in any form of archaeology (e.g. Bass 1983), in this paper we argue that maritime archaeology may be well served by research which aims to create both general and predictive models about nautical behaviour (i.e. the functional/systemic processual approach) and to characterise the motivation and meaning behind strategies adopted by maritime societies and individuals (i.e. a critical/deconstructionist post-processual approach) (cf. Carrell 1990; Gould 1983a, 1983b; Hodder 1991 ; Trigger 1991; Watson 1983).