Chapter 3
The Oceanographic Context
The West Pacific Warm Pool and the Evolution
of Maritime Skills and Technologies in the Spice Islands
Abstract This chapter explores changing oceanographic conditions within the
West Pacific Warm Pool from the Ice Age to the Holocene. We argue that Spice
Island maritime history is linked to the tectonic and oceanographic history of the
WPWP. Its high sea surface temperatures offered Spice Island mariners some protection against hypothermia over short distances in the Ice Age. In the mid-Holocene
the strategy of following powerful warm currents flowing out of the WPWP gave
Spice Island mariners some protection against hypothermia in ocean waters far outside the Pool and further reduced the risk of hypothermia by ensuring fast passages
over long distances. This protection supported the Spice Islanders’ eventual development of transoceanic exploration, trading and migration in both the Indian and
Pacific Oceans.
Keywords West Pacific Warm Pool · Ice Age refuge · Early maritime trading · MidHolocene voyaging nursery · Current-based voyaging
3.1 The West Pacific Warm Pool
One of the major implications of Houghton’s research on cold adaptation is that
high sea surface temperatures would have been vital for prehistoric ocean voyaging – a prerequisite for exploration, maritime trading and migration. The history of
changing sea surface temperatures in the ocean waters close to the Spice Islands
is therefore relevant to understanding the trading and voyaging range possible for
Spice Islanders at various stages of their maritime history. Temperature range and
variation within what oceanographers call the West Pacific Warm Pool is of central
importance here. Palaeo-oceanographers P. Martines, P. de Deckker and T. Barrows
[1] have used deep sea cores to determine sea surface temperatures in the West
Pacific Warm Pool (WPWP) at the Last Glacial Maximum 20,000 years ago. Using
evidence from these cores, they mapped the summer and winter boundaries of the
WPWP. (The boundaries move southwards towards the equator in winter.) Both Ice
37
C.E.M. Pearce, F.M. Pearce, Oceanic Migration,
DOI 10.1007/978-90-481-3826-5_3, C
Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2010
The Oceanographic Context
The West Pacific Warm Pool and the Evolution
of Maritime Skills and Technologies in the Spice Islands
Abstract This chapter explores changing oceanographic conditions within the
West Pacific Warm Pool from the Ice Age to the Holocene. We argue that Spice
Island maritime history is linked to the tectonic and oceanographic history of the
WPWP. Its high sea surface temperatures offered Spice Island mariners some protection against hypothermia over short distances in the Ice Age. In the mid-Holocene
the strategy of following powerful warm currents flowing out of the WPWP gave
Spice Island mariners some protection against hypothermia in ocean waters far outside the Pool and further reduced the risk of hypothermia by ensuring fast passages
over long distances. This protection supported the Spice Islanders’ eventual development of transoceanic exploration, trading and migration in both the Indian and
Pacific Oceans.
Keywords West Pacific Warm Pool · Ice Age refuge · Early maritime trading · MidHolocene voyaging nursery · Current-based voyaging
3.1 The West Pacific Warm Pool
One of the major implications of Houghton’s research on cold adaptation is that
high sea surface temperatures would have been vital for prehistoric ocean voyaging – a prerequisite for exploration, maritime trading and migration. The history of
changing sea surface temperatures in the ocean waters close to the Spice Islands
is therefore relevant to understanding the trading and voyaging range possible for
Spice Islanders at various stages of their maritime history. Temperature range and
variation within what oceanographers call the West Pacific Warm Pool is of central
importance here. Palaeo-oceanographers P. Martines, P. de Deckker and T. Barrows
[1] have used deep sea cores to determine sea surface temperatures in the West
Pacific Warm Pool (WPWP) at the Last Glacial Maximum 20,000 years ago. Using
evidence from these cores, they mapped the summer and winter boundaries of the
WPWP. (The boundaries move southwards towards the equator in winter.) Both Ice
37
C.E.M. Pearce, F.M. Pearce, Oceanic Migration,
DOI 10.1007/978-90-481-3826-5_3, C
Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2010