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UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHAMPTON FACULTY OF HUMANITIES Archaeology Sailing the Monsoon Winds in Miniature: Model boats as evidence for boat building technologies, cultures and collecting by Charlotte Dixon Thesis for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy March 2018 ABSTRACT UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHAMPTON ABSTRACT FACULTY OF HUMANITIES Archaeology Thesis for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy SAILING THE MONSOON WINDS IN MINIATURE: MODEL BOATS AS EVIDENCE FOR BOAT BUILDING TECHNOLOGIES, CULTURES AND COLLECTING Charlotte Lucy Dixon Models of non-European boats are commonly found in museum collections in the UK and throughout the world. These objects are considerably understudied, rarely used in museum displays and at risk of disposal. In addition, there are several gaps in current understanding of traditional watercraft from the Indian Ocean, the region spanning from East Africa through to Western Australia. Using models of a range of boats from thirteen museum collections throughout the UK, this Collaborative Doctoral Award PhD research considers the value of these objects for both researchers and museums. This thesis explores the potential of models to help us to understand traditional boats and boat building practices; some of which no longer exist. It achieves this through the production of a catalogue and analysis of a wide range of models. Then, through the presentation of two case studies it starts to explore a number of ideas about the physical attributes of these objects and how representative they are of full-size vessels. In addition, the wider cultural processes and contexts of the models are explored. It considers ideas about collecting, miniaturisation and the iconic symbolism of watercraft. It is anticipated the outcome of this project will be the utilisation of models of boats from the Indian Ocean, and throughout the world, in future studies of traditional watercraft. It is also hoped that this research will help museums to re-evaluate the significance of these objects in their collections, and to use them in displays in the future to tell a range of narratives. Table of Contents Table of Contents Table of Contents ................................................................................................. i Table of Tables .................................................................................................... v Table of Figures .................................................................................................. vi List of Accompanying Materials ......................................................................... xii Academic Thesis: Declaration Of Authorship .....................................................xiii Acknowledgements ........................................................................................... xiv Chapter 1 – Introduction ..................................................................................... 1 1.1 Research Questions .................................................................................... 2 1.2 Scope ......................................................................................................... 2 1.1.1 Geographic boundaries ........................................................................ 4 1.1.2 Indian Ocean studies ............................................................................ 5 1.1.3 Traditional boats of the Indian Ocean................................................... 7 1.2 Model boats as a resource .......................................................................... 9 1.3 Thesis outline .......................................................................................... 11 Chapter 2 – Boats in Miniature: a review ............................................................ 15 2.1 Tales of tiny objects: conceptualising miniaturisation ............................... 15 2.1.1 Why miniaturise? ................................................................................ 16 2.1.2 Production and impact ....................................................................... 19 2.1.3 Summary ........................................................................................... 20 2.2 Studies of archaeological model boats ..................................................... 21 2.3 European boat and ship model studies ..................................................... 23 2.4 Studies of non-European boat models ...................................................... 25 2.4.1 Models in mtepe studies .................................................................... 27 2.4.2 Models in yathra dhoni studies .......................................................... 30 2.5 Conclusions ............................................................................................. 32 Chapter 3 - Model boats in UK museums: an overview ....................................... 35 3.1 Introducing the Boat Models: a physical description ................................. 36 3.2 Methodology: models, museums and databases ....................................... 38 3.2.1 Museums ........................................................................................... 38 3.2.2 Step One: databases .......................................................................... 40 3.2.3 Step Two: documentation................................................................... 41 3.2.4 Step Three: models ............................................................................ 42 3.2.5 Processing the data ............................................................................ 43 3.3 Placing the model boats in context .......................................................... 43 3.3.1 Models of boats on display ................................................................ 43 i Table of Contents 3.3.2 Distribution ........................................................................................ 46 3.3.3 When were the models made and collected? ....................................... 53 2.3.4 Who collected the models? ................................................................. 57 3.4 Model boats and their representation: an analysis .................................... 58 3.4.1 What types of boats are represented in model form? .......................... 58 3.4.2 Propulsion .......................................................................................... 61 3.4.3 Construction ...................................................................................... 62 3.4.4 Material .............................................................................................. 66 3.5 Conclusions ............................................................................................. 68 Chapter 4 – Collecting: individuals, exhibitions and institutions......................... 71 4.1 Why Collect: an introduction and theoretical approaches .......................... 71 4.1.1 Historical overview ............................................................................. 72 4.1.2 Who collects and why? ........................................................................ 74 4.1.3 The value of collections ...................................................................... 75 4.2 Boat Model Collecting: a typological approach .......................................... 76 4.2.1 Methodology ...................................................................................... 79 4.2.2 Systematic Commissioning ................................................................. 82 4.2.3 General Systematic Collecting ............................................................. 94 4.2.4 Systematic Boat Model Collecting ..................................................... 103 4.2.5 Souvenir Collecting .......................................................................... 109 4.3 Museum Collecting ................................................................................. 114 4.3.1 Establishing museums ...................................................................... 115 4.3.2 Acquiring model boats ..................................................................... 118 4.3.3 Complex histories ............................................................................ 118 4.4 Conclusions ........................................................................................... 119 Chapter 5 – What can models contribute to our understanding of traditional boats around the Indian Ocean? ................................................................................ 123 5.1 The development of traditional Indian Ocean boat studies .....................