Making Sense of the sea in Nautical Literature

Abstract

The importance of sea as an integral part of civilization, fostering the growth and newlinespread of human civilization, is central to the development of sea as a major area of newlinestudy. Geographically, historically, socially, politically and literally, the unfathomable newlinedepths has piqued the interest of man as the domain shrouded with mystery and fuelled newlinehis spirit of adventure, exploration and discovery. Long before communication on land newlinewas developed, the sea was the sole channel of travel explored by man. The sea kindled newlinefires of existence, civilizations, nationalism to name a few. The sea was the first medium newlinethrough which knowledge, trade, commerce, migration, art and culture permeated to newlineother geographical locations. Oral and written literature, through sagas and scriptures to newlineprint media, from prehistoric age to the present day all stand testimony to such newlineparamount importance of the sea in human life. newline