This item is non-discoverable
Publication: GlobalSeaRoutes: A Historical Geodatabase
No Thumbnail Available
Date
2019
Authors
Abbattista, Guido
Favretto, Andrea
Iannuzzi, Giulia
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
The forms of globalisation of the early modern age were achieved through
the construction of a network of maritime connections which formed the
backbone of continuous, stable and increasingly intensive trade, which fuelled
the start of the globalisation of goods, consumption and, in time, markets.
“GSR-Global Sea Routes. A historical geodatabase of European global
navigation (1500-1900)” is finalized to building a relational geospatial database
aimed at the study and georeferenced representation of the routes of merchant
navigation of European nations on a global scale. Its chronological coverage
1500-1900 extends over the long period of time characterised by the transition
from sailing to steam navigation, and by the opening of new maritime routes,
especially after the inauguration of the Suez Canal in 1869. Its purpose is a new
understanding of:
1) the historical evolution of European commercial long-distance navigation
in quantitative and comparative terms
2) the historical evolution, in terms of voyage timing, of world maritime
interconnectedness fostered by European transoceanic merchant enterprises
1500-1900
3) the specifics of individual overseas merchant routes through their detailed
digital georeferenced and chrono-dynamic cartographic reconstruction
4) the real daily circumstances of overseas navigation, as inferred from the
analysis of the ship logbooks of the main European merchant fleets, treating
them not just in cliometric terms, but also as narrative frameworks.
GSR focuses on European long-distance navigation in the perspective to
investigate a particular dimension of ‘global Europeanness’, an expression
designating the European projection onto a global level through sea shipping.
Positioning itself between global history, spatial history and digital history, GSR
exploits first-hand sources making them “speak” both in descriptive terms and
by way of cutting-edge GIS digital technologies for route construction and
visualisation.
Description
Keywords
historical geospatial database, European global navigation, maritime connections