Summary of David Gibbins's A History of the World in Twelve Shipwrecks

By IRB Media

Get the Summary of David Gibbins's A History of the World in Twelve Shipwrecks in 20 minutes. Please note: This is a summary & not the original book. "A History of the World in Twelve Shipwrecks" by David Gibbins offers a compelling exploration of maritime history through the lens of twelve significant shipwrecks. Each wreck serves as a portal into a distinct era, shedding light on the technological, cultural, and social developments of the time. From the Bronze Age Dover Boat, revealing early seafaring and trade in Britain, to the Uluburun shipwreck that illuminates the Bronze Age Mediterranean world, the book traverses through time and geography...

• Language: English
• Publisher: IRB Media
• Release date: May 13, 2024
• ISBN: 9798330012312

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Summary of David Gibbins's A History of the World in Twelve Shipwrecks

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Table of Contents

Overview

Ancient Mariners Unearthed

Echoes of Ancient Trade

Sunken Paragons and Power

Rome's Ascendant Tides

Navigating Epochs

From Triumph to Tragedy

Echoes of Lost Masterpieces

Sunken Chronicles

Echoes of Erebus

Perilous Ocean Odyssey

Echoes Underwater

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Overview

A History of the World in Twelve Shipwrecks by David Gibbins offers a compelling exploration of maritime history through the lens of twelve significant shipwrecks. Each wreck serves as a portal into a distinct era, shedding light on the technological, cultural, and social developments of the time. From the Bronze Age Dover Boat, revealing early seafaring and trade in Britain, to the Uluburun shipwreck that illuminates the Bronze Age Mediterranean world, the book traverses through time and geography. It delves into the Viking Age with the Roskilde shipwreck, the Tudor period with the Mary Rose, and the Age of Exploration with the Santo Cristo di Castello, which may have carried lost Rembrandt paintings. The narrative also touches on the tragic fate of the Franklin expedition in the Arctic and the World War II sinking of the SS Gairsoppa, laden with silver. Gibbins intertwines personal stories, such as those of his grandfather aboard the SS Clan Murdoch, with broader historical events, offering a rich tapestry of human endeavor, innovation, and resilience as seen through these maritime time capsules.

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Ancient Mariners Unearthed

On the 28th of September, 1992, construction workers in Dover, England, stumbled upon ancient boat timbers while excavating. Buried beneath a medieval wall and a Roman breakwater, these timbers were believed to date back to the Iron Age, over two millennia ago. The excavation uncovered a six-meter section of an oak plank boat, bearing resemblance to Bronze Age fragments found in northern England. Due to the boat's fragile state, preserved in mud, it had to be sectioned for conservation purposes.

The preservation of these timbers was undertaken by the Mary Rose Trust in Portsmouth, employing methods such as polyethylene glycol treatment and freeze-drying. Through radiocarbon dating and dendrochronology, the boat was dated to approximately 1575–1520 BC, situating it in the midst of the British Bronze Age—a time characterized by significant developments in land management, technological innovation, and trading activities.

A full-scale replica of the boat was constructed, revealing that it would have required a team of ten people working for a month with Bronze Age tools to build the original vessel. The boat was estimated to have been 18 meters in length, 2.5 meters wide, and weighed around 8 tons. A half-scale model demonstrated its seaworthiness, suggesting it was capable of transporting passengers and cargo across the English Channel.

The boat's construction technique, which involved lashing planks together with plant fibers and moss, was a method used globally, including in ancient Egyptian ceremonial vessels. This points to a widespread independent innovation in boat building across different cultures.

The discovery of the Dover Boat sheds light on the agricultural, trading, and seafaring capabilities of Bronze Age Britain, as well as the migrations that shaped the genetic and cultural landscape of the region.

The construction of the Dover Boat suggests that boat-building techniques may have been introduced to Britain by migrants rather than being a local invention. These robust, flat-bottomed boats, possibly designed for river travel in Central Europe, were later adapted