An experiment in Pleistocene seafaring

Nale Tasih 2: journey of a Middle Palaeolithic raft

“…As already demonstrated with the Nale Tasih 1 expedition, Nale Tasih 2 has again shown that the idea of an 'involuntary colonization' is absurd in the history of hominid expansion in Indonesia: 'the knowledge and technological skills required to sail the open sea are significantly greater than most archaeologists are capable of imagining' (Bednarik, 1998). The long history of maritime colonization is itself an indication of the technical and cognitive competence of the hominids concerned, of their long-term forward planning ability, sophisticated communication ability and social complexity.…”

“…The first replication of a Pleistocene vessel, built in part with the help of stone tools in late 1997 and early 1998, was launched in Roti on 14 February 1998. Sea trials were commenced on 6 March and showed a number of design shortcomings and material defects, and in combination with unfavourable wind and current conditions caused by the El Nifio phenomenon, this led to the abandonment of the attempt to sail the 15-tonne raft with a crew of 11 to Australia (Bednarik, 1998;Bednarik & Hobman, 1998). The 23m Nule Tasih I was returned to Roti and beached at Oeseli for examination and destructive testing on 9 March.…”

Palaeolithic seafaring in East Asia: testing the bamboo raft hypothesis

“…In developing our designs, we assumed that Palaeolithic rafts could support several men and women, but were compact and light enough to be carried by a small group of people. Bednarik (1998Bednarik ( , 1999, for example, constructed huge bamboo rafts (a 23m-long raft carried by 400 people, and a 18m-long raft weighing 2.8 tonnes) in his experimental research. Such heavy rafts could not be landed and reused, even if the voyage was successful.…”

Cultural biographies, cognitive landscapes and dirty old bits of boat:‘theory’ in maritime archaeology

“…At its most fundamental level, maritime archaeology may thus need to develop theories capable of dealing with such diametrically-opposed perceptions, in so much as it is capable of doing this (Cooper, 1975;Frake, 1985;Gell, 1985;Noble & Hogbin, 2001). Work upon such areas helps give a radical new spin to long-running debates such as those about Pleistocene voyages to Australia (Bednarik, 1997;Bednarik, 1998;Bednarik et al, 1999): 'we'-land-based, fundamentally fearful of the sea-perceive these voyages as virtually impossible: cultures that perceive of both sea and land together as a largely undifferentiated whole arguably would not (Broodbank, 1989;Cherry, 1990). Such theories also allow a better understanding of other long-distance, 'bluewater', seafaring by small groups and even individuals, and both physical and psychological demands (Lewis, 1994;Noble & Hogbin, 2001), particularly early voyages in the North Atlantic and Arctic during the period of Norse voyaging, the evidence for the extent of which is only just beginning to be appreciated (McGrail, 1989;McGovern, 1990;McGhee, 1992;Wallace, 1999;Ingstad & Ingstad, 2000;Seaver, 2000;Herbert, 2003).…”