Encyclopedia of Western Atlantic Shipwrecks and Sunken Treasure - Hardcover

Sandz, Victoria; Marx, Robert F.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0786410183 ISBN 13: 9780786410187

Publisher: McFarland Publishing, 2001

Synopsis

From aerial survey to zoology, Part I of this two-part encyclopedia covers all aspects of underwater archeology, treasure hunting and salvaging. Entries include various types of artifacts, notable treasure hunters, salvaging equipment, and techniques of mapping and excavating a shipwreck or preserving artifacts.
Part II catalogs the known shipwrecks in the Western Atlantic, based on information gathered from depositories around the world by Robert F. Marx. Every shipwreck receives an entry in alphabetical order under its appropriate geographical category. Entries include the ship's name (if known), nationality, type, function, location and history.

About this title

About the Author:

Victoria Sandz is a U.S. Coast Guard licensed officer. She lives in Cape Canaveral, Florida. Robert F. Marx is an archeologist. He is a resident of Indialantic, Florida.

From Booklist:

Written by a U.S. Coast Guard officer with the assistance of a noted shipwreck author, this volume's emphasis is on "sunken treasure." Part 1 is a dictionary of shipwreck terms, specifically as they apply to commercial salvage. Photographs and illustrations accompany the text, but some photographs do not give the reader enough information. Part 2 is a catalog of shipwrecks in the western Atlantic, arranged geographically and then alphabetically by the name of the ship. Perhaps because it is a center for underwater treasure hunting, Florida has its own chapter rather than being included under the U.S. Each entry includes the ship's name, nationality, type, and function, along with the location and a generally brief description of the wreck. Because of the difficulties of converting older monetary values to the current monetary system, the value of treasure is described as in the original documentation. An extensive index indicates each page where a wreck is mentioned and also lists dictionary entries.

One wreck not listed is Morrow Castle, lost off the coast of New Jersey in the 1930s. The wreck of Andrea Doria in 1956 is listed under New Jersey even though, as the entry notes, it sank off the coast of Massachusetts. No mention is made of the role of Ile de France in the dramatic rescue by the Andrea Doria 's passengers and crew. At the beginning of the U.S. section, the Abandoned Shipwreck Act of 1987 is discussed but not the controversial salvage of DeBraak off the Delaware coast that spurred the legislation. The entry on DeBraak also does not mention the controversy.

This source covers more lesser-known shipwrecks, specifically in Caribbean waters, than Shipwrecks: An Encyclopedia of the World's Worst Disasters at Sea (Facts On File, 2000). A more scholarly source of information is the Encyclopedia of Underwater and Maritime Archaeology (Yale, 1998). Marine archaeologists may find this source useful, but it has a focus on commercial salvage. Recommended for libraries serving patrons with an interest in diving, marine archaeology, and sunken treasures. RBB
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

About this edition

• Publisher: McFarland Publishing
• Publication date: 2001
• ISBN 10: 0786410183
• ISBN 13: 9780786410187
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 232