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The Maritime Archaeology of Mozambique Island: Lessons from the Commercial Gathering of Beads and Porcelain for Tourists

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Maritime and Underwater Cultural Heritage Management on the Historic and Arabian Trade Routes

Abstract

This chapter presents the results of an archeological survey of porcelain sherds and beads that were collected on beaches around Mozambique Island. This assemblage represents a long history of maritime interactions dating from at least the fifteenth century CE which initially focused on the Indian Ocean, but eventually also encompassed the Atlantic. It first describes the collected assemblage, which includes significant representation from the Ming Dynasty (Wanli period fifteenth to sixteenth centuries CE), Qing Dynasty (seventeenth to twentieth centuries CE), and seventeenth to nineteenth century CE European wares. It then examines some site-formation processes that have impacted on the location of ceramics including shipwrecking events, regular harbour activities, and, since the 1960s, the removal and sale of artefacts to tourists. Finally, the paper explores how each of these activities has affected the relative presence and distributions of artefacts in the archaeological record and the significant implications this has for managing and preserving the cultural heritage of Mozambique Island.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Eduardo Mondlane University, Maputo, Mozambique

    Celso Zefanias Simbine

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  1. Celso Zefanias Simbine
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

    Robert Parthesius

  2. New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

    Jonathan Sharfman

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Simbine, C.Z. (2020). The Maritime Archaeology of Mozambique Island: Lessons from the Commercial Gathering of Beads and Porcelain for Tourists. In: Parthesius, R., Sharfman, J. (eds) Maritime and Underwater Cultural Heritage Management on the Historic and Arabian Trade Routes. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-55837-6_5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-55837-6_5

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-55836-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-55837-6

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