Dr. Christopher Nuttall

Dr. Christopher Nuttall

Archaeologist specializing in landscape archaeology, GIS, prehistoric ceramics, and the Bronze Age Aegean.

Seascape Dialogues

Seascape Dialogues: Human-Sea Interaction in the Aegean from Late Neolithic to Late Bronze Age

Doctoral Researcher (2016-2021)

Seascape Dialogues investigated how prehistoric communities engaged with maritime environments across the Aegean between approximately 4800 and 1600 BCE. The study utilised GIS-based spatial analyses, marine faunal remains, material culture evidence, and marine-themed iconography to examine patterns of coastal settlement, subsistence strategies, and symbolic interactions with the sea. A key analytical concept was “coastality,” defined as the varying degrees of proximity and orientation of settlements towards coastal areas, which significantly shaped both practical and symbolic dimensions of human-sea relationships.

The analysis demonstrated considerable variability in maritime interactions across the region, influenced by local environmental conditions and cultural preferences. For example, on Crete, marine resources featured prominently in diets and material culture, particularly in later periods, whereas marine iconography was notably absent from contemporary sites on the Greek mainland. The research also identified how seascapes emerged through context-specific engagements, influencing community identities and social practices, such as the ritual use of marine shells and the depiction of marine life and maritime activities in art. Ultimately, the project underscored the dynamic and multifaceted roles that the sea played in shaping prehistoric Aegean societies.

thesis

This research resulted in one PhD monograph and one peer-reviewed book chapter.

  • Nuttall, C. 2021. Seascape Dialogues: Human-Sea Interaction in the Aegean Late Neolithic to Late Bronze Age. PhD thesis. Uppsala: Department of Archaeology and Ancient History, Uppsala University. DOI ISBN: 978-91-506-2910-1 (print)

  • Nuttall, C. 2021. “Backs to the Sea? Least-Cost Paths and Coastality in the Southern Early Bronze Age IIA Aegean.”
    In G. Albertazzi, A. Saggio & G. Muti (eds.), Islands in Dialogue (ISLANDIA): Proceedings of the First International Postgraduate Conference in the Prehistory and Protohistory of the Mediterranean Islands. Roma: Artemide Edizioni, 116–129. URL