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Mystery of the Ancient Seafarers: Ancient Maritime Civilzation
In a beautiful volume featuring more than 170 maps and photographs, Mystery of the Ancient Seafarers follows the latest pursuits of National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence Robert D. Ballard as he searches for clues to the ancient civilizations of the Mediterranean. An immediate tie-in with the 2004 PBS special, Ballard's excavation focuses primarily on the story of the Phoenicians—traders who ruled Mediterranean commerce for 1,000 years, then disappeared.
A showcase of National Geographic's greatest strengths—exploration, discovery, and intricate maps— Mystery of the Ancient Seafarers is a fascinating journey through the depths of the Mediterranean and centuries of time.
A showcase of National Geographic's greatest strengths—exploration, discovery, and intricate maps— Mystery of the Ancient Seafarers is a fascinating journey through the depths of the Mediterranean and centuries of time.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2004
76 people want to read
About the author
Robert D. Ballard
86 books169 followersRobert Duane Ballard (born June 30, 1942 in Wichita, Kansas) is a former commander in the United States Navy and an oceanographer who is most noted for his work in underwater archaeology. He is most famous for the discoveries of the wrecks of the RMS Titanic in 1985, the battleship Bismarck in 1989, and the wreck of the aircraft carrier USS Yorktown in 1998. Most recently he discovered the wreck of John F. Kennedy's PT-109 in 2003 and visited the Solomon Islander natives who saved its crew. Ballard is also great-grandson of American Old West lawman Bat Masterson.
from wikipedia.org
see also
http://literati.net/Ballard/
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/fie...
http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/pa...
from wikipedia.org
see also
http://literati.net/Ballard/
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/fie...
http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/pa...
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
March 13, 2022
This would be a fun way to learn ancient history 3000 AD to 500 AD. Starts with Phoenicians,Minoans, Scythians, Egyptians, Greeks, Romans. Integrates current archeology with geology. Starts with tribal migrations out of the Tigris Euphrates. No surprise civilization occurred around areas with navigable rivers, lakes and coastlines. Evolution of types of ships, pottery, art, jewelry, mosaics leave clues.
Did not know the Black Sea was a fresh water lake.
Atlantis may have been a Minoan city on an island called Thera. Around 2000 BC there was a volcanic eruption which sank Atlantis and left three small islands Melos, Akrotiri, and Thera. Thick layers of volcanic ash cover any sunken Minoan ships and cities. No sunken Minoan ship has been excavated.
Lots of maps, and photos.
Did not know the Black Sea was a fresh water lake.
Atlantis may have been a Minoan city on an island called Thera. Around 2000 BC there was a volcanic eruption which sank Atlantis and left three small islands Melos, Akrotiri, and Thera. Thick layers of volcanic ash cover any sunken Minoan ships and cities. No sunken Minoan ship has been excavated.
Lots of maps, and photos.
February 29, 2016
I checked this one out of the Leland Library as part of a new project I'm starting called "Read Your Library." Hopefully I'll be making a vlog about it soon enough, but the general idea is right there in the title. Since I've wanted to get more involved in World History, I decided to start in 930 of the Dewey Classification, History of the Ancient World. This was the first book on the shelf.
As a National Geographic text, this book is filled not only with writings from brilliant minds, but also beautiful photographs and examples of art pieces throughout the time periods covered. Looking from a maritime perspective and following ocean archaeologists as they search for the ships of ancient civilizations such as the Greeks, the Romans, the Egyptians, and the inhabitants of the Black Sea area. Each section discusses the origins of that particular civilization, its rise and fall, the wreckage and artifacts discovered by Robert Ballard and his team, and includes a bit of the mythology from the area as well.
This was an interesting read. It also gives one a clearer sense of time as far as some of these ancient civilizations are concerned, at least in my mind.
As a National Geographic text, this book is filled not only with writings from brilliant minds, but also beautiful photographs and examples of art pieces throughout the time periods covered. Looking from a maritime perspective and following ocean archaeologists as they search for the ships of ancient civilizations such as the Greeks, the Romans, the Egyptians, and the inhabitants of the Black Sea area. Each section discusses the origins of that particular civilization, its rise and fall, the wreckage and artifacts discovered by Robert Ballard and his team, and includes a bit of the mythology from the area as well.
This was an interesting read. It also gives one a clearer sense of time as far as some of these ancient civilizations are concerned, at least in my mind.
December 30, 2021
This was a good weekend read book.
At 250(ish) pages it doesn't go into too much detail of the various cultures around the Mediterranean, but does provide you with a brief history of each civilization profiled and it's relation to the Sea through trade and war.
The book also talks about Robert Ballard's exploration of the Mediterranean and Black Seas which was interesting - especially the explanation on why ancient wrecks are more easily found in the Black Sea than in the Mediterranean. The big plus for this book were the pictures - maps for each chapter topic, pictures of the finds Ballard made, the equipment used, and selected works of art (pottery, jewelry) from each civilization profiled.
If you're looking for a light, yet enjoyable read on the history around the Mediterranean from 3000BC to about 476AD I would recommend this book.
At 250(ish) pages it doesn't go into too much detail of the various cultures around the Mediterranean, but does provide you with a brief history of each civilization profiled and it's relation to the Sea through trade and war.
The book also talks about Robert Ballard's exploration of the Mediterranean and Black Seas which was interesting - especially the explanation on why ancient wrecks are more easily found in the Black Sea than in the Mediterranean. The big plus for this book were the pictures - maps for each chapter topic, pictures of the finds Ballard made, the equipment used, and selected works of art (pottery, jewelry) from each civilization profiled.
If you're looking for a light, yet enjoyable read on the history around the Mediterranean from 3000BC to about 476AD I would recommend this book.
October 7, 2024
3.5 stars
I found this to be a bit more light-weight and not as specifically focused on individual seafarers (like the Phoenicians). This was more of a broad and brief historical account of different cultures, intertwined with those cultures' relationships with sea travel and trade.
It was still enjoyable, but I did want something a bit more in-depth and focused.
I found this to be a bit more light-weight and not as specifically focused on individual seafarers (like the Phoenicians). This was more of a broad and brief historical account of different cultures, intertwined with those cultures' relationships with sea travel and trade.
It was still enjoyable, but I did want something a bit more in-depth and focused.
January 16, 2014
This was an Ok, lightweight, semi-researched, semi-romantic overview of marine archaeology. The collection of detailed Minoan frescoes in the chapter on Minoa makes it a keeper for me, but the prose was a bit dry and scattered, and the research was sometimes deficient (for instance, Egyptian "Keftiu" as Crete is only a hypothesis that hasn't been confirmed, but was presented here as fact).
I highly recommend The Ancient Mariners by Lionel Casson if this book left you wanting more depth, better research and a compelling narrative about ancient maritime endeavours in the Mediterranean.
I highly recommend The Ancient Mariners by Lionel Casson if this book left you wanting more depth, better research and a compelling narrative about ancient maritime endeavours in the Mediterranean.
August 9, 2010
More follow-up reading to The King Must Die. I read 4 of 6 sections before losing interest (Phoenicians, Black Sea, Egyptians, & Minoans -- skipped Greeks & Romans).
Writing: 2 stars. Photos: 4 stars. I suppose that is what you get with a book published by National Geographic. The coverage of each civilization was superficial and bland. And yet weirdly detailed at times (why would I care how far apart two sunken ships are from each other?).
Writing: 2 stars. Photos: 4 stars. I suppose that is what you get with a book published by National Geographic. The coverage of each civilization was superficial and bland. And yet weirdly detailed at times (why would I care how far apart two sunken ships are from each other?).
June 28, 2016
Here's my review: http://www.learntodivetoday.co.za/blo...
October 15, 2016
Although there wasn't as much focus on underwater archaeology as I hoped, it was a good overview and some cool underwater stuff.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews