Trade Secrets

[hvered]

Coupe also means a bowl or goblet. Perhaps even a 'grail' or 'graal'?

If modern ferry routes are anything to go by, the Coupe is warning off rather than welcoming mariners.



But bowl-shaped is a good way to describe the appearance of these constructions. They look like bowl or cup-and-saucer barrows but on a larger scale.

[macausland]

Sailing on the water like a cup and saucer?

[Mick Harper]

Not so. Tides differ dramatically, the Mediterranean mariner was probably unaware/had no concept of tides at all. OK, I exaggerate a tad.... but you get my drift.

No, I don't, Spiro. Just tell me, in simple words, what you can do on a tidal island that you can't do on any suitable sea-shore.

[Boreades]

Interesting how many https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maiden_Castle there are, and all of them are "Iron Age Hill Forts"

[macausland]

Just tell me, in simple words, what you can do on a tidal island that you can't do on any suitable sea-shore.

What is the depth of water around a tidal island compared with the shore?

Perhaps a boat tied up to a tidal island will always be afloat.

Tie up on the shore and when the tide goes out the boat will be beached which could be a problem in itself but would also lead to a shifting of cargo within the ship.

[Mick Harper]

What is the depth of water around a tidal island compared with the shore?

The same (presumably)

Perhaps a boat tied up to a tidal island will always be afloat

Not so.

Tie up on the shore and when the tide goes out the boat will be beached which could be a problem in itself but would also lead to a shifting of cargo within the ship.

There's no difference.

Contributors might care to consider that it would seem to be the causeway rather than the tidal island itself that seems to be important. But there's little point in assuming that the causeway acts as a pier or jetty because many causewayed tidal islands are unapproachable by boats.

[Boreades]

Have you come across this site by Christopher Long?

He discusses the tin trade in the middle ages but a lot of what he says must have applied to earlier times with regard to transport of tin etc.

He says quite a bit about Guernsey as part of the transport network as well as the role of monks. Apparently they were quite adept at forging documents giving them control and ownership of various places.

http://www.christopherlong.co.uk/oth/msm-smmtin.html

Some clues there that illuminate other discussions we've had about the alignment of Caldey Island, Lundy and Tintagel.

According to Michel Mollat, the monks also owned or controlled the port of Trevalga, a gift from William the Conqueror, on the north coast of Cornwall near Tintagel. It may be that this 'gift' simply confirmed a pre-Conquest possession (25). The C6th Irish saint, Piran (patron saint of tin miners and of Cornwall itself) gave his name to St Piran's Old Church, Perranzabuloe, close to Travalga – a parish which comprises the villages of Perranporth and Perrancoombe.

The churches at Perranuthno and Perranarworthal were also dedicated to Piran and his name was given to holy wells at Perranwell and Probus as well as the church of St Piran, Trethevy, at Tintagel itself. If the monks or their predecessors controlled the port of Trevalga at an early date, without owning any mines in the vicinity, this suggests they may have held special rights over tin trading and transportation. [Note: David Nicolas knows of St Piran's equivalents in Brittany. Presumably these are St. Peran, Loperan and Saint-Perran.]


Trevalga and Boscastle are both closer to the line projected from Caldey Island through Lundy. Like Jethou in the Channel Islands, passing to one side of Lundy and keeping on in the same direction would get you to the megalithic trade port(s). Your sailing mileage may vary, wind and tide permitting.

[hvered]

Courtesy of TripAdvisor: cormorants at Corbiere, Jersey

[macausland]

http://www.philipcoppens.com/montstmichel.html

According to this site it would appear that causewayed tidal islands had a ceremonial purpose to do with connections with the 'otherworld' and death.

The nearby tidal island of Tombelaine is, according to wiki, possibly named after Bel if not Helene.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tombelaine

Again it appears that these islands are the preserve of monks or other religious sects which strengthens the idea that their primary purpose was a religious one.

[Boreades]

... which strengthens the idea that their primary purpose was a religious one.

From this distance in time and space, their primary purpose is a matter of guesswork. Locations of strategic importance (as trade hubs) or tactical importance (for navigation) are frequently dual-purpose. The advertised purpose (for the sheeple) is often not the strategic purpose.