Frozen in time – Iconography, visual analysis, and the study of nautical activities in maritime archaeology

Nautical iconography has been widely used in maritime archaeology, but its use has proven to be highly controversial. Many discussions centre on the lack of technological accuracy of the images, the subjective interpretation of the researcher, and the lack of comparative material among others, but little attention is paid to methodology. In this chapter, we present an overview
of how nautical iconography has been used within the discipline of maritime archaeology, and we set forth a new methodological approach that aims to be universal in its application. We conclude by providing an example of iconographic analysis using the extensive corpus of nautical archaeology found in the temples of Angkor, Cambodia (9th to 15th centuries CE). The text aims
to highlight the importance of this kind of visual data to understand better the socio-cultural activities that took place Down by the Water, and of which very little archaeological material remains.
Keywords: Nautical iconography, art history, maritime archaeology, Angkor, visual culture, reception history, Southeast Asia, Buddhism, Hinduism, Ecology revised