"First published in Great Britain by Allen Lane"--Title page verso. Includes bibliographical references (pages 919-983) and index.
Contents:
Part one. The oldest ocean : the Pacific, 176,000 BC-AD 1350 -- Part two. The middle ocean : the Indian Ocean and its neighbours, 4500 BC-AD 1500 -- Part three. The young ocean : the Atlantic, 22,000 BC-AD 1500 -- Part four. Oceans in conversation, AD 1492-1900 -- Part five. The oceans contained, AD 1850-2000 -- Museums with maritime collections -- Further reading.
Summary:
"David Abulafia's new book guides readers along the world's greatest bodies of water to reveal their primary role in human history. The main protagonists are the three major oceans-the Atlantic, the Pacific, and the Indian-which together comprise the majority of the earth's water and cover over half of its surface. Over time, as passage through them gradually extended and expanded, linking first islands and then continents, maritime networks developed, evolving from local exploration to lines of regional communication and commerce and eventually to major arteries. These waterways carried goods, plants, livestock, and of course people-free and enslaved-across vast expanses, transforming and ultimately linking irrevocably the economies and cultures of Africa, Europe, Asia, and the Americas"-- Provided by publisher.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.