A History of the World in Twelve Shipwrecks by David Gibbins

What a great idea this was, exquisitely researched and executed perfectly!

I read A History of the World in Twelve Shipwrecks in small bites and from the reviews I have read, this is the way to go. David Gibbins packs an incredible amount of knowledge into just 300 pages and trying to absorb it all in one pass is reportedly overwhelming.

The author, a diver and marine archeologist known for his adventure novels, chooses twelve unique shipwrecks occurring over a span of 4000 years to show us how they serve as invaluable sources of information and insight that complement and challenge conventional historical records. Devoting a chapter to each wreck, he presents them as time capsules preserving the history of the period in which they were built. He uses ships and their artifacts to reveal goods traded, existing inventions, diet, living standards, education levels and religions of the time.

The author states in his Prologue that … unlike many archaeological sites, a wreck represents a single event in which most of the objects were in use at that time and can often be closely dated. What might seem hazy in other evidence can be sharply defined, pointing the way to fresh insights. [pp. xi-xii]

David Gibbins also shows his readers how the wrecks offer a unique perspective on the human condition, as they capture the hopes and fears, the triumphs and tragedies, and the joys and sorrows of the people who sailed them.

The shipwrecks examined are:

Chapter 1: The Dover Boat is the oldest seagoing vessel ever found. Hailed as one of the greatest archaeological discoveries of the 20th century, it is around 3,500 years old, having been built around the time that the final touches were made to Stonehenge and fifteen centuries before the Romans arrived in Britain. The boat was found quite by chance by archaeologists from the Canterbury Archaeological Trust monitoring roadworks in 1992. It was lying twenty feet below the modern streets of Dover, miraculously preserved by the oxygen-free silts in which it had lain for three and a half millennia. About half the boat was recovered and is now on display in Dover Museum in the heart of this historic port.

Chapter 2: The Uluburun Late Bronze Age Wreck was discovered in 1982 off the Mediterranean coast of Turkey near Kaş. Relics indicate that it was transporting a bulk cargo of copper and tin ingots, in the usual ratio of 10:1 to produce bronze. Other goods included pottery (used, unused, and also containing foodstuffs) and luxury items intended for a very specific and wealthy audience, such as carved ivory containers, jewelry of gold and semi-precious stones such as carnelian and agate. Researchers theorize that the cargo was an elite shipment from the Late Bronze Age (14^th century BC) carrying, among other treasures, exotic and valuable gifts exchanged by kings, heads of state, or wealthy merchants.

The Uluburun shipwreck was excavated by INA over 11 seasons between 1984 and 1994, with more than 22,000 dives logged to depths in excess of 150 feet. Photo from the Institute of Nautical Archaeology.

Chapter 3: A classical Greek shipwreck at Tektaş Burnu, off the Aegean coast of Turkey from the 5th century BC was discovered by the Institute of Nautical Archaeology (INA) in 1996. Excavation of the wreck between 1999 and 2001 determined that the ship had been carrying a cargo of wine contained in about 200 amphoras of the so-called pseudo-Samian type, which have been found at various sites along the Black Sea coast. As the only Classical shipwreck ever to be fully excavated in Aegean waters, this modest vessel sheds light on the local trade networks and overall economic condition of Ionia at a time when Athens was thought to have dominated maritime commerce in the Aegean.

Chapter 4: A Roman wreck off the cliffs of Plemmirio near Siracusa in Sicily has been dated from the Roman Empire in the 2nd century and is significant for providing insights into Roman trade routes, maritime commerce, and the production of goods in the Roman Empire, particularly in North Africa during the Severan period (AD 193-211). It highlights the importance of the Mediterranean Sea as a vital trade route and the interconnectedness of different regions within the Roman world.

Chapter 5: The Marzamemi Wreck was discovered off the coast of Sicily as well and was determined to have been sent out from Constantinople by Emperor Justinian in the 6th century AD.  Researchers have concluded that during this time, the Roman Empire was based in Constantinople where Justinian mass-produced marble columns and altars and carried them by ship to distant locations to create churches. Treasures from the wreck provide information on the scale and scope of Byzantine construction projects and the use of maritime trade to transport materials.

Chapter 6: The Belitung Wreck containing 57, 000 Changsha bowls and priceless metals provides insight into the culture of Tang China, the Land of Gold, and Abbasid Islam in the 9th century AD.

Chapter 7: The 11th century AD Roskilde ship, the largest Viking longship ever excavated, offers understanding of trade, explorations, and conquests made during the Viking Age.

The 11th century AD Roskilde ship as reconstructed for the 2013 National Museum of Denmark exhibit, with the keel and surviving parts of the lower hull visible (CC BY-SA, John Lee, The National Museum of Denmark).

Chapter 8: The Mary Rose, the flagship of Henry VIII, (1545 AD) is one of the most celebrated shipwreck projects ever to have taken place, and the hull and artefacts are on display in the Mary Rose Museum. This museum has an excellent website with numerous photos of the artefacts discussed in this chapter.

Chapter 9: The Santo Christo de Castello, a Dutch shipwreck from 1667, was nicknamed the ‘Mullion Pin Wreck’ because of the numerous brass clothing pins found at the site. It was discovered by Royal Navy officer Peter McBride while snorkeling off the west coast of the Lizard Peninsula near Cornwall in 1969. The cargo included lost paintings by Rembrandt van Rijn, thousands of brass clothing pins, spices, hides, and other trade goods. The wreck has been the subject of extensive archaeological investigation, with various artifacts recovered and studied, including a copper-alloy figure of the crucified Christ (Corpus Christi), which is considered a significant find.

The figure of the crucified Christ (Corpus Christi) is attributable to the workshop of Guglielmo della Porta and probably dates to the late 1500s, about a century before the wreck. (photo: David Gibbins).

Chapter 10: The Royal Anne Galley was a warship which sank off Lizard Point, Cornwall, in November, 1721. The sinking of the Royal Anne Galley was a significant tragedy, with the loss of around 200 lives, including Lord Belhaven, a prominent figure headed to govern Barbados. This shipwreck underscores the dangers faced by seafarers during the period and the precarious nature of maritime trade. The wreck site was first discovered in 1991 by local diver Robert Sherratt and became officially protected by law in 1993, meaning only licensed divers could access it. About 400 artefacts were found in the 1990s and early 2000s, including cannons, guns, coins, jewelry, and cutlery.

Chapter 11: The HMS Terror, sank in 1848 as part of the John Franklin expedition. The exhumation in 1984 of three bodies of the Franklin expedition has led to a better understanding of the health issues that beset the men, with all three probably dying as a result of tuberculosis and pneumonia but also showing high levels of lead, whether from lead piping in England at the time or from the solder used in tins taken by Franklin – the latter part of a long-standing theory that lead poisoning might account for the failure of the expedition.

This image from Lieutenant Owen Stanley’s sketchbook shows HMS Terror on 15 March 1837 as ice pushed by the sea closed in on the ship, which only survived because of the strength of its build as a bomb vessel. This and a painting showing the same scene by the ship’s First Lieutenant, William Henry Smyth, may have been the inspiration for the ship depiction on the Franklin memorial in Westminster Abbey (PAF0268, National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London).

Chapter 12: The SS Gairsoppa was one of over 4,700 British-flagged merchant ships and fishing vessels to be sunk by enemy action during World War II. The discovery and recovery of the SS Gairsoppa’s cargo, containing millions of ounces of silver bullion, made it the largest and heaviest recovery of precious metal from a shipwreck in history. This significant salvage operation, undertaken by Odyssey Marine Exploration, attracted international attention and highlighted the potential of deep-sea exploration for recovering valuable historical artifacts and cargo.

In addition to presenting an exciting and rich narrative of human history told through these twelve archaeological discoveries, David Gibbins also imparts a history of marine archaeology, a discipline which emerged in the last half of the 20th century. He explains how technologies starting in the 1960s, like the aqualung and remote operating vehicles, offer access to previously inaccessible wrecks. Since the birth of marine archaeology, divers have explored thousands of wrecks, breathing new life into the field, “resulting in dazzling discoveries equal to those of the pioneer land archaeologists” of the 19th and early 20th centuries “and bringing the past alive in a uniquely exciting way.” [Prologue]

The author has personally explored more than half the wrecks discussed in the book and his diving experiences add so much to the narrative. He beautifully conveys the moment of utter excitement that an archaeological discovery can bring.

In the Afterword [p. 269], the author states: The very act of diving, in an unfamiliar and often challenging environment, sharpens the resolve and heightens awareness, as if by doing so we are entering into the final moments of emotion of those on board and able to sense the lives that still seem to be imprinted on the seabed.

Check Amazon for more on this book I love.