Shipwrecks and Archaeology: The Unharvested Sea By Peter Throckmorton
Shipwrecks and Archaeology: The Unharvested Sea (Premium Collectible Hardcover Copy)
A Foundational Masterwork on the Birth, Trial, and Evolution of Marine Archaeology as a Modern Science
A Foundational Masterwork on the Birth, Trial, and Evolution of Marine Archaeology as a Modern Science
Bibliographic Specifications
- Title: Shipwrecks and Archaeology: The Unharvested Sea
- Author: Peter Throckmorton
- Publisher: Victor Gollancz Ltd., London
- Publication Date: 1970
- ISBN-10: 0575004444
- ISBN-13: 9780575004443
- Edition Details: First British Edition / Presumed First Impression. Highly exceptional, prized association state featuring the original publisher’s official review slip loosely inserted.
- Binding: Original publisher's premium full-cloth hardboards, finished with bold, crisp metallic title block fonts across the spine.
- Physical Format: Octavo (8vo), xviii, 270 pages. Generously supplemented with historical maps, architectural diving plans, and deep archival photographic reproductions.
- Language: English
Official Condition Report
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The Book: Very Good (VG)
- Exterior Boards: The original publisher's cloth-bound casing is structurally flat, solid, and completely square. The spine remains entirely undamaged, uncrushed, and crisp. Only microscopic, negligible storage friction is visible along the corners, consistent with decades of careful placement. The volume is protected by a premium cellophane cover sleeve.
- Interior: The textbook binding is exceptionally robust, rigid, and pristine. Internal pages are remarkably clean, crisp, white, and fully intact. Free of owner signatures, modern text highlighting, user marginalia, or secondary dealer markings.
- Provenance Enhancements: Houses the original, rare Victor Gollancz Ltd. printed review slip, marking this as an advance copy distributed specifically to contemporary literary critics prior to general release.
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The Dust Jacket: Very Good (VG)
- Condition & Integrity: The original illustrated vintage dust jacket is present. It displays minor, expected signs of vintage edge wear and limited surface friction, but remains unclipped and free from deep tears or substantial paper loss. Completely stabilized and shielded under the protective cellophane cover wrap.
Synopsis & Historical Value
First published in London by Gollancz in 1970, Shipwrecks and Archaeology: The Unharvested Sea stands as one of the most critical foundational texts documenting the birth of underwater exploration. Written by a genuine pioneer of the discipline, the book bridges the gap between reckless treasure hunting and scientific underwater excavation.
Throckmorton guides the reader through a brilliant narrative landscape that defines what a shipwreck truly is, tracing how reefs and archives fueled the global Age of Exploration. The text reconstructs landmark maritime events, from the tragic loss of the Nautilus to the historic discovery of the ancient Antikythera wreck, which marked the true beginning of marine archaeology. Through a fascinating chronicle of trial and error, this classic volume details the development of high-precision underwater surveying techniques, making it an irreplaceable addition for collectors of maritime history, naval warfare, and deep-sea exploration.
Author Profile: Peter Throckmorton
Peter Throckmorton (1928–1990) was a world-renowned American photojournalist, explorer, and pioneer underwater archaeologist, universally celebrated as one of the founding fathers of the modern marine archaeological discipline. Working alongside icons like George Bass in the late 1950s and 1960s, Throckmorton co-conducted the world's very first scientific underwater excavations of Bronze Age shipwrecks off the coast of Turkey. He was a foundational advisor for the Sea Research Society and a trustee for the National Underwater and Marine Agency (NUMA). His brilliant ability to combine dirty-shirt diving adventures with rigorous, academic research transformed underwater archaeology from a hobby into a respected global science.
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