Abstract
The sea turtle occupied an important niche in the development of the West Indies. In the days before refrigeration, mariners found that this unique marine reptile could easily be captured on remote shores and kept alive aboard ship or in pens as a source of fresh meat. The Cayman Islands became known as the largest sea turtle fishery in the Caribbean, prompting the evolution of a distinctive boat type designed especially for hunting marine reptiles. Development of the Caymanian catboat, specifically its features and their functions, demonstrates the islands’ importance within the larger maritime culture of the Caribbean during the colonial period.
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Smith, R.C. (2016). The Caymanian Catboat. In: Evans, A. (eds) The Archaeology of Vernacular Watercraft. When the Land Meets the Sea. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-3563-5_3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-3563-5_3
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