AI reads centuries-old handwriting to reveal Britain's vast historic shipping trade
Historians have created a first-of-its-kind online interactive map, using data from hundreds of thousands of pages of centuries-old port records to chart Britain's growth into a dominant global trading nation.
Historians at the University of Southampton have created an online interactive map using artificial intelligence to analyze centuries-old port records. This data reveals Britain's vast historic shipping trade, charting the country's growth from the late 16th century to the mid-18th century. The project, which scanned over 100,000 pages from delicate leather-bound parchment books, used AI to extract data from the handwritten port books.
This data forms an extensive database, revealing information about ships, ports, sea routes, and goods traded during this period. The research shows that Europe was the primary destination for Britain's overseas trade, accounting for more than 80% of its recorded value in 1696-97. Coal was the most frequently recorded commodity, followed by ale, children's toys, sheep guts, bowstrings, and Venice treacle.
The interactive map allows users to explore maritime trade through different periods, trading hubs, ships, goods, routes, and more, making the information accessible to the general public, scholars, and citizen historians.
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