Geographical place names are spelled according to the most common usage. Archaeological and historical sites are presented as they appear most commonly in the sources I used to write this book. Some obscure locations are omitted from the maps for clarity. Interested readers should consult the specialist literature.
The notes tend to emphasize sources with extensive bibliographies to allow you to enter the more specialized literature if desired.
The B.C.E./C.E. convention is used throughout this book. The “present” by international agreement is 1950 C.E. Following routine practice, dates before twelve thousand years ago appear as years before present.
After considerable debate, we (my editors and I) decided that we would use metric measurements in these pages, to simplify the narrative. This is because most science now employs metric conventions. For those who are bewildered, a mile is 1.6 kilometers, a foot is 0.3 meter, and an inch is 2.54 centimeters. An acre is 0.4 hectare. Doubtless I will hear in short order from those who refuse to think of their world in metric terms. It will only take you a few seconds with your calculator or computer to convert any measurement, however esoteric.
A knot (a nautical mile), commonly used on charts and in sailing directions, is 1.85 kilometers. I use it here to refer to boat speeds and to the velocity of currents and tides, the usual nautical practice.
All radiocarbon dates have been calibrated to dates in calendar years using the latest version of what is a constantly revised calibration curve. You can view the calibration curve at www.calpal.de.
Following common maritime convention, wind directions are described by the direction they are blowing from. For example, a westerly wind blows from the west, and northeast trade winds from the northeast. Ocean currents and tides, however, are described by the direction they are flowing toward. Thus, a northerly wind and a northerly tide flow in opposite directions.