Customer Reviews:
 3.5 Stars for Superficial Orthodox Eye Candy April 7, 2008
1 out of 3 found this review helpful
If you are in need of a coffee table book, this book is one option. It is a companion volume to a PBS special. As such, unsurprisingly, it is visually stunning, not that incredibly heavy textually and very orthodox in the history department. Egyptian pyramids are still funeral sites, the Sphinx was supposedly built no earlier than 2,500 B.C. and the overall impression is rather Euro/Greek-centered. As such, no non-Mediterranean ancient seafarers are even mentioned: The largest inhabited area by a people, the Polynesians; the Mali empire; the east African Seafarers; or even the Chinese. And the Egyptians/Phoenicians are downplayed: only a brief reference to the Cornwell (UK) travels, no mention of the Baltic travels, and no pre-Columbian voyages to the Americas by anyone.
However, there is confirmation of the findings about the Black Sea Flooding of Noah's Flood: The New Scientific Discoveries About The Event That Changed History with 2000-2002 science cruise updates in this 2004 book.
I am actually a bit surprised about the meager focus on ships in relation to the volume of the introductory character of the general texts about the Mediterranean cultures. Most stars given are to be considered for the superb pictures. And a bit for the science semi-update once upon 2004.
 "I know much more is down there. I'm going back-a lot." August 5, 2006
11 out of 11 found this review helpful
An excellent book in every way. In case you haven't noticed it; Robert Ballard and all are the ones who found the Titanic in 1985 and are seen on the TV program "Sea Hunters". He is the world leader in searching and finding shipwercks. Until recent years,marine archaeologists have been limited to searching to 200 feet,the safe limit for scuba divers. The advances in underwater equipment now allows searching to depths of thousands of feet.
This book not only deals with the artifacts found,it covers the civilizations that lived around the mediterranean from the Atlantic,southern Europe,east to the Caspian Sea and Persian Gulf,and along north Africa.
Just finding and seeing the wrecks and artifacts,serves little purpose without understanding the history from about 3,000 B.C. to about 500 A.D.;essentially from the time of the Phoenicians ,the early Seafarers, to the end of the Holy Roman Empire. This is a complicated history,but in this book it is covered in a manner that makes its understanding as easy as possible. The test and supurb photos are helped with excellent maps showing the extent of each civilization.
The book makes reference to the recently learned huge flood that occurred 6 or 7,000 years ago that turned a great inland lake into the Black Sea. This is covered in great detail in another excellent book "Noah's Flood" by William Ryan and Walter Pitman; which I reviewed on March 1,2006.
This book is published by National Geographic and we once again get the excellent conctruction,paper,printing and photographic reproduction,we can count on from this fine publisher.
If you enjoy history,shipwrecks,artifacts, exploration and those wonderful "Sea Hunters" programs on the History Channel;you will be very impressed with this book.
Great Maps, Excellent Text February 22, 2005
17 out of 17 found this review helpful
"Mysteries of the Ancient Seafarers" covers the history, culture, legacy, and influence on exploration and navigation of numerous ancient maritime civilizations. Also, modern discoveries and shipwreck finds are written about in length. Scores of maps, photographs, and pictures make this book both interesting to read and beautiful to behold. The Phoenicians, Greeks, early Romans, Minoans, Egyptians, and other important seafaring civilizations are discussed. Every chapter contains several maps, and more than one chapter has at least two dozen beautiful pictures. Information about ancient trade routes, naval battles, and the development of both merchant and military craft is included.
This is an essential book for any library of ancient history, and the maps and pictures make it a work of art. The paper is of the finest quality, and the cover is sturdy. Anyone interested in ancient or navigational history must have this book.
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