A new book has recently been published called “Contemporary Philosophy for Maritime Archaeology – Flat Ontologies, Oceanic Thought, and the Anthropocene” edited by Sara A. Rich & Peter B. Campbell. The essays in the book emphasize how environmental changes, from global warming to global pandemics, call for transdisciplinary cooperation, and for thinking together beyond the confines of the human-centered philosophical tradition. Specifically, the book displays how theoretically engaged maritime archaeologists contribute significantly to areas of the “blue humanities” and “oceanic thinking”.
Relics of Nature’s PI Þóra Pétursdóttir has contributed to this new book with a reprinted edition of her essay Drift that is all about drift matter; its nature, its use, its changing identity, and its implications for archaeological conduct and reasoning.
This essay with the others in the book serve as a jumping off point for reflecting about new ways for maritime archaeologists to engage with important contemporary problems and to benefit from new insights offered by object-oriented and flat ontologies.
The book has contributions from both archaeologists, philosophers, marine biologists, and media theorists. Like corals or tentacles, the contributions branch out and reach into the lessons of oil spills, cephalaopod hideouts, shipwreck literature, ruined monuments, and beached plastics.
We send our congratulations to Sara A. Rich and Peter B. Campbell for an excellent publication! You may buy an edition of the book or read the free e-book here:
I’ll end this blogpost with the book’s dedication:
To the water, and all things in it and of it
Relics of Nature 