The Archaeology of Clouds

[Robyn Pelling]

Hello Everyone,

I am a maritime archaeologist that has recently returned to University to complete my masters. I have just started writing my dissertation, which is on the archaeology of clouds.

I am looking at the way in which clouds have influenced human interaction with the sea. This can involve decisions on sailing and navigation, to iconography and the details individuals put into their depictions of clouds. I will initially be concentrating on the post-medieval period, but I hope to expand to earlier periods if I can get enough material for PhD level.

I would love to hear from anyone that has information on poetry or rhymes regarding clouds and the sea (eg, Mare’s tails and mackerel scales make tall ships have low sails), any navigational information (eg, circumnavigating clouds when sailing to port), any family anecdotes of sailors and clouds, really, anything you can think of.

I am starting my research with a more UK focus, however I would love to expand this internationally so please don’t hesitate to get in contact.

Thanks for your time.

 

Best wishes,

 

Robyn

[Howard Brown]

Goodness gracious me, Robyn, you have opened my eyes (from which you will gather I have little to offer you, but wish you all the best).

I wonder about the term ‘archaeology of clouds’ and am surprised it has been accepted. Archaeology I think of as historical discovery – any historical cloud, as a dynamic transient entity, could only be discovered indirectly by some reference. So I would have thought something like ‘The historical impact of clouds on mankind’.

I had to google post-medieval and was surprised there exists a Society for Post-Medieval Archaeology. Would you care to hazard a date for the end of the period (which may be quite early) since you seem more interested in going back than forward?

The ‘mare’s tails’ doggerel has many variations in contemporary cloud literature.

[Author]

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