Songs of the Sea: How Music, Not Maps, Spread Knowledge About the Sea in the Middle Ages
In the Middle Ages, scientific knowledge concerning the sea was disseminated through channels that differ radically from those we know today. Information travelled through maritime legislation and navigational treatises, but these were not the only vehicles for knowledge circulation in this time period—vernacular song repertories, in particular that of the troubadours, discusses the sea, including descriptions of scientific processes such as desalination and navigation. This talk explores the function of song as a pathway for the circulation of scientific concepts concerning the sea in the twelfth century, demonstrating the role vocal music had in the dissemination of information in the medieval period.
Image credit: The Black Sea, from the ‘Rotz Atlas’, (16th century, Public Domain).