Maritime memorialization : death at sea and the influence on coastal cults

Abstract

During the Age of Sail (15th-20th century) seafarers faced the dangerous maritime environment. As a result of deaths at sea, communities adopted unique practices through ritualized and modified memorialization. Maritime memorial monuments were erected terrestrially to commemorate seafarers, both in the presence of physical remains and in absence. Coastal communities incorporated these monuments into their cultural framework and memorialization spaces acted as focal points for the onset of folklore, ritualistic practices, and cult formations. These beliefs often arose due to the dangers and challenges that faced seafarers, therefore affecting coastal communities. The introduction of the term ‘trigger events’ within the field of maritime archaeology examined how memorable moments of disaster or occurrences influence the collective memory of coastal communities. This research delves into the complex relationship between maritime related deaths, memorialization, and the subsequent emergence of cultic practices in coastal communities. It explores how maritime deaths influence cultural and ritualistic practices through the role monuments play in commemorating sailors. Anchored in the 19th-century case study of Thomas McSweeney, with a focus on the coastal community of the Three Cities of Malta: Birgu (Vittoriosa), Isla (Senglea), and Bormla (Cospicua). This research demonstrates how the burial of sailors in foreign lands catalyzes the formation of local traditions and cult practices.