In this study, we outline a maritime perspective on interaction in the Late Bronze/early Iron Age Mediterranean. In response to what has elsewhere been termed the ‘maximalist’ approach, which foregrounds direct, long-distance trading connections between distant Mediterranean regions as a key feature of Late Bronze Age exchange systems, we propose a more nuanced, ‘minimalist’ and argue that notions of contact, connectivity and mobility need to be carefully distinguished if we wish to discuss both the material and social dimensions of maritime mobility. In particular, we critique the prominently proposed, allegedly direct trade route between Sardinia and Cyprus. The network we suggest hinges on multiply connected nodes, where a variety of social actors take part in the creation and maintenance of maritime connections. By unpacking several such nodes between Sardinia and Cyprus, we demonstrate that simply asserting the dominance of Sardinian, Cypriot or Aegean mariners falls short of the complex archaeological evidence and eschews possible social interpretations. In conclusion, we submit that maritime connectivity is an inherently social activity, and that a culturally diverse prehistoric Mediterranean was connected by multiple interlocking and overlapping networks.

中文翻译：

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塞浦路斯、撒丁岛和西西里岛：地中海史前时期互动、连接和想象的海洋视角

在这项研究中，我们概述了青铜时代晚期/铁器时代早期地中海相互作用的海洋视角。作为对其他地方所谓的“极简主义”方法的回应，该方法将遥远的地中海地区之间的直接、长途贸易联系作为青铜时代晚期交换系统的一个关键特征，我们提出了一种更细致入微的“极简主义”，并认为如果我们想讨论海上流动性的物质和社会层面，就需要仔细区分接触、连通性和流动性的概念。特别是，我们批评了撒丁岛和塞浦路斯之间的显着提议，据称是直接贸易路线。我们建议的网络取决于多重连接的节点，各种社会参与者参与创建和维护海上连接。通过解开撒丁岛和塞浦路斯之间的几个这样的节点，我们证明了简单地断言撒丁岛、塞浦路斯或爱琴海水手的主导地位是缺乏复杂的考古证据的，并且避开了可能的社会解释。总之，我们认为海上连通性本质上是一种社会活动，文化多样化的史前地中海是通过多个互锁和重叠的网络连接起来的。