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Beneath the Seven Seas
Firsthand accounts from around the world of more than forty of the most important shipwreck and sunken-city projects ever undertaken.
From the Pacific to the Mediterranean, from the Caribbean to the Red Sea, from northern Europe and the northern United States to the Indian Ocean, archaeologists vividly describe shipwrecks from centuries past, from the oldest and deepest ever excavated to the remains of battles in both the European and Pacific theaters of World War II.
Readers will dive nearly 200 feet with Cemal Pulak on a royal ship that sank over 3,300 years ago off the Aegean coast of Turkey, and explore with Donny Hamilton the streets and houses of the richest English colony in the New World, the infamous pirate stronghold of Port Royal, Jamaica, swallowed by the sea in 1692. They will accompany famed undersea explorer Robert Ballard, discoverer of the Titanic , as he and Cheryl Ward search for shipwrecks in the deep, oxygen-free waters of the Black Sea. They will wade with archaeologist Fred Hocker through mud along the bank of a South Carolina river, and then sail through a gale with Susan Womer Katzev on a full-scale replica of the best-preserved ancient Greek ship yet raised from the depths of the Mediterranean.
The book describes the tragic loss, within sight of their loved ones, of seamen returning home to Portugal in 1606, at the end of a two-year voyage to the East on the Nossa Senhora dos Martires , and then describes the fate of the crew of another Portuguese ship, the Santo Antonio de Tanna , which sank off Mombasa, Kenya, while trying to lift the siege of Fort Jesus by Omani Arabs in 1697. It describes the foods, games, weapons, tools, and grooming implements on a ship sailed by Bulgarian merchants around AD 1025, carrying as cargo the largest known collections of medieval Islamic glass and glazed pottery. 350 color illustrations.
From the Pacific to the Mediterranean, from the Caribbean to the Red Sea, from northern Europe and the northern United States to the Indian Ocean, archaeologists vividly describe shipwrecks from centuries past, from the oldest and deepest ever excavated to the remains of battles in both the European and Pacific theaters of World War II.
Readers will dive nearly 200 feet with Cemal Pulak on a royal ship that sank over 3,300 years ago off the Aegean coast of Turkey, and explore with Donny Hamilton the streets and houses of the richest English colony in the New World, the infamous pirate stronghold of Port Royal, Jamaica, swallowed by the sea in 1692. They will accompany famed undersea explorer Robert Ballard, discoverer of the Titanic , as he and Cheryl Ward search for shipwrecks in the deep, oxygen-free waters of the Black Sea. They will wade with archaeologist Fred Hocker through mud along the bank of a South Carolina river, and then sail through a gale with Susan Womer Katzev on a full-scale replica of the best-preserved ancient Greek ship yet raised from the depths of the Mediterranean.
The book describes the tragic loss, within sight of their loved ones, of seamen returning home to Portugal in 1606, at the end of a two-year voyage to the East on the Nossa Senhora dos Martires , and then describes the fate of the crew of another Portuguese ship, the Santo Antonio de Tanna , which sank off Mombasa, Kenya, while trying to lift the siege of Fort Jesus by Omani Arabs in 1697. It describes the foods, games, weapons, tools, and grooming implements on a ship sailed by Bulgarian merchants around AD 1025, carrying as cargo the largest known collections of medieval Islamic glass and glazed pottery. 350 color illustrations.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published June 1, 1975
About the author
George Fletcher Bass
24 books4 followersGeorge Fletcher Bass is recognized as the father of underwater archaeology.
Bass was the director of the first archaeological expedition to entirely excavate an ancient shipwreck: Cape Gelidonva (1960). Since directing his first excavation, he has excavated shipwrecks of the Bronze Age, Classical Age, and the Byzantine. Bass is professor emeritus at Texas A&M University, where he held the George T. and Gladys H. Abell Chair in Nautical Archaeology. He holds an M.A. in Near Eastern Archaeology from The Johns Hopkins University and a Ph.D. in Classical Archaeology from the University of Pennsylvania.
In 1973 Bass founded the Institute of Nautical Archaeology (INA). INA has conducted some of the most important excavations of the twentieth century, and its findings throw new light into areas as diverse as the beginning of the free enterprise system, the dating of Homer's Odyssey, chronologies of Egyptian dynasties and Helladic cultures, and the histories of technology, economics, music, art and religion.
Bass was the director of the first archaeological expedition to entirely excavate an ancient shipwreck: Cape Gelidonva (1960). Since directing his first excavation, he has excavated shipwrecks of the Bronze Age, Classical Age, and the Byzantine. Bass is professor emeritus at Texas A&M University, where he held the George T. and Gladys H. Abell Chair in Nautical Archaeology. He holds an M.A. in Near Eastern Archaeology from The Johns Hopkins University and a Ph.D. in Classical Archaeology from the University of Pennsylvania.
In 1973 Bass founded the Institute of Nautical Archaeology (INA). INA has conducted some of the most important excavations of the twentieth century, and its findings throw new light into areas as diverse as the beginning of the free enterprise system, the dating of Homer's Odyssey, chronologies of Egyptian dynasties and Helladic cultures, and the histories of technology, economics, music, art and religion.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
July 29, 2012
Before I read this book I had no idea nautical archaeology (i.e. shipwreck diving) was so important and so interesting. In spite of the fact that I can only dog-paddle, this book made me want to become a wreck diver. Illustrated throughout with exquisite photographs, the essays detail how the archaeologists battled unpredictable currents, varying visibility, vicious eels, grabby octopuses and the risk of getting the bends in order to rescue historical treasures from their watery grave. (In one instance they found jars of still-liquid wine. They tasted it, but apparently 847 A.D. was not a good wine year.)
All aspects of the field are covered -- from the logistics of deep water diving to the technical details involved in conservation -- and there were wrecks represented in chronological order from all over the world, in both lakes and oceans, from ancient times to the mid-20th century.
I would recommend this to anyone interested in diving, archaeology or history. I had had no idea I would enjoy it as much as I did.
All aspects of the field are covered -- from the logistics of deep water diving to the technical details involved in conservation -- and there were wrecks represented in chronological order from all over the world, in both lakes and oceans, from ancient times to the mid-20th century.
I would recommend this to anyone interested in diving, archaeology or history. I had had no idea I would enjoy it as much as I did.
September 28, 2017
First hand stories from George Bass and several other members from the INA (Institute of Nautical Archaeology) from their experiences of their ground-breaking excavations around the world. Fascinating.
August 21, 2017
If you're interested at all in maritime archaeology, it's a good idea to start with George Bass and Peter Throckmorton, two of the fathers of the profession.
This is Bass' account of his introduction to archaeology and his first few expeditions in the waters off Turkey.
My favorite part may have been the fact that Bass hustled to get his scuba training in a Philadelphia YMCA just before leaving for Turkey and still hadn't been beyond 10 feet deep when he arrived. He needed to lead an expedition over 100 ft. deep all summer.
That pretty much summed up the level of preparation of the entire project, but there's something to be said about getting talented people together and accomplishing something.
Bass has since gone on to create the American Institute of Nautical Archaeology along with the maritime archaeology program at Texas A&M.
This book was published in 1975 so there's a lot that follows, but it's a good place to start.
This is Bass' account of his introduction to archaeology and his first few expeditions in the waters off Turkey.
My favorite part may have been the fact that Bass hustled to get his scuba training in a Philadelphia YMCA just before leaving for Turkey and still hadn't been beyond 10 feet deep when he arrived. He needed to lead an expedition over 100 ft. deep all summer.
That pretty much summed up the level of preparation of the entire project, but there's something to be said about getting talented people together and accomplishing something.
Bass has since gone on to create the American Institute of Nautical Archaeology along with the maritime archaeology program at Texas A&M.
This book was published in 1975 so there's a lot that follows, but it's a good place to start.
February 12, 2020
"Някога, докато бил жив, платнените му дробове се изпълвали до пръсване с въздух, а сухожилията от усукани въжета се изпъвали и отпускали, докато той стенел под напора на тласкащата го напред сила. Но пясъкът, върху който легнал кротко на края, се оказал недостатъчен за погребален саван."
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October 12, 2008Never thought shipwreck archaeology could be so great! Amazing accounts and pictures. Makes anyone want to be Indiana Jones or Lara Croft!
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews