Maritime work song in general

Subject: RE: Maritime work song in general
From: GUEST,Phil d'Conch
Date: 09 Mar 20 - 08:10 PM

“Next in turn are two "oar-masters" (toixarchoi), who are each responsible for the discipline and working of one of the long rowers' benches; and following in grade, though highly important, are the keleustes, and the trieraules, who, by voice and by flute respectively, will give the time and if needs be encouragement to the rowers. These are all the regular officers, but naturally for handling the sails and anchors some common sailors are desirable. The Invincible carries 17 of these….
[A Day in Old Athens, Davis, 1914, pp.131-132]

Subject: RE: Maritime work song in general
From: GUEST,Phil d'Conch
Date: 09 Mar 20 - 07:39 PM

“The rowers did not sit, but Stood in an inclining position. The practice was directed by a person called celeustes the Roman hortator remigum who was placed in the middle of them, and carried a staff, with which he gave the signal when his voice could not be heard. This signal was for the rowers to strike; and he encouraged them by a song or cry, called the celeusma. This was either sung by the rowers, or played upon instruments, or effected by a symphony of many or striking sonorous tones.”
[A Treatis on the Arts, Manf, Manners, Inst of the Greeks & Romans, Vol.I, Fosbroke, 1833, pp.211-212]

Subject: RE: Maritime work song in general
From: GUEST,Phil d'Conch
Date: 09 Mar 20 - 07:37 PM

Paywalled & hard to get but a good place to start: 'Celeuma' in Christian Latin: Lexical and Literary Notes, Sheerin, 1982

*I use the 2400 year number in conversation not because nautical work song is that old, it's much older, rather because that's roughly where documented Western history picks up. It's a little late for 'Ancient' Egypt.

That said, the glossary and job titles were already well in place; it wasn't all that Greek in origins (just the vowels) and the Ptolemaic Kingdom (c.332 - 30BC) was Hellenistic. Alexander the Great was a Pharaoh of Egypt. Pharoah's Canals were the first 'Suez' canals.

i.e.: Pharaoh, great or high house. The Pharos of Alexandria was an Egyptian lighthouse. Latin for lighthouse is farus.

Most of the Old Testament was already firmed up by 300BC as well.

Subject: Folklore: Maritime work song in general
From: GUEST,Phil d'Conch
Date: 09 Mar 20 - 07:31 PM

State of the art:

“A sea shanty, chantey, or chanty is a type of work song that was once commonly sung to accompany labor on board large merchant sailing vessels. The term shanty most accurately refers to a specific style of work song belonging to this historical repertoire. However, in recent, popular usage, the scope of its definition is sometimes expanded to admit a wider range of repertoire and characteristics, or to refer to a maritime work song in general.” [wiki]

More standard narrative:
The Advent and Development of Chanties

and
“...There are also several less-established theories regarding the origins of the sea shanty. Although there is little evidence to support this, some historians argue that the maritime musical form can be traced as far back as Ancient Egypt...”
[Piratical Debauchery, Homesick Sailors and Nautical Rhythms, Reidler, 2017]

The 2400 year gap in evidence and theory is best explained by the modern standard shanty narrative's substitution of a genre label for a work practice. 19th century, English, merchant marine &c are not functional attributes. They are consumer preferences.

What follows is a list of references based on the thread title, beginning at the beginning*: