The Sea Of Galilee Boat [Hardcover]

Shelley Wachsmann (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 21, 1995

This remarkable true story recounts one of the great discoveries of the century: finding a 2000-year-old boat from the Sea of Galilee. Shelley Wachsmann, a respected nautical archaeologist, shares the joy and drama he felt in discovering and excavating the first ancient boat from this biblical location. Through his perceptive eyes, we experience the adventure of a lifetime as he offers his personal account of first setting eyes on and then preserving this unique treasure. Wachsmann is a master storyteller, interweaving his own unforgettable story of this challenging excavation with the writings of the past. Jews and Christians alike will be captivated by his search for the boat's identity. Wachsmann - like a detective - hunts down clues that will reveal the boat's actual history. Since the boat turns out to be a 2000 year old craft, he carefully examines the Gospels for passages that will shed light on this wondrous vessel. This ever-curious author also traces Jewish historical texts to discover that the Sea of Galilee, during the boat's vibrant past, was the setting for one of the most tragic massacres of Jews - the Battle of Migdal. During this sea battle, we learn, Roman soldiers mercilessly slaughtered Jews as they attempted to escape in boats like this one, turning the Sea of Galilee into a sea of crimson. The saga of tenderly extracting this extraordinary boat from the earth, protecting its timbers, and restoring it to health is a compelling tale on its own. Wachsmann impresses us with the dedication and creativity of his makeshift team in improvising answers to the seemingly impossible logistic problems that dog them every step of the way. Still, generosity abounds and actual rainbows appear as scores of volunteers pull together to save this singular monument of the past. Wachsmann punctuates the absorbing details of preserving this artifact with the rich history that surrounds the Sea of Galilee, making this a uniquely enduring and personal work.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Nautical archeologist Wachsmann in 1986 led the Israeli team that excavated a fishing boat that may have plied the Sea of Galilee in the time of Jesus. Discovered by kibbutz members on the sea's muddy floor, the 26-foot-long vessel, built mainly of Lebanese cedar and oak, has been radiocarbon-dated to roughly 15 B.C. (give or take 85 years). An arrowhead like those used by Roman archers in the First Jewish Revolt was found on the boat, leading to speculation that the vessel was used by Jewish rebels in the naval battle of Migdal (birthplace of Mary Magdalene), when Roman soldiers slaughtered some 6700 Jews in 67 A.D. Although this "generic fishing boat" cannot be definitively linked to either the Gospel stories or the Jewish rebellion in Galilee, Wachsmann's engrossing account of its excavation and restoration, enlivened by photographs and drawings, provides a well-positioned window on the biblical past. The author is an assistant professor of biblical archeology at Texas A&M University.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"The storyline style and the author''s personal engagement with it in turn provide the reader with an informative and captivating experience with the boat itself. The book is an excellent model for archaeological reporting that bridges the gap between research and the lay reader." --The Biblical Archaeologist

(The Biblical Archaeologist )

"The Sea of Galilee Boat takes readers with the author through each stage of his investigation and communicates the excitement felt as excavation and research progress . . . . Wachsmann''s pleasure in his work is evident and well conveyed by his personal reflections."  --American Journal of Archaeology

(American Journal of Archaeology )

"Wachsmann sets a high standard for archaeologists who want to bring their fieldwork to a general audience. His book is a pleasure to read; it is good science, and it is just plain fun."  -- Biblical Archaeology Review

(Biblical Archaeology Review ) --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 420 pages
• Publisher: Basic Books (March 21, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0306449501
• ISBN-13: 978-0306449505
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #498,129 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The fishing boat of Galilee, February 2, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Sea Of Galilee Boat (Hardcover)

People have wondered what the fishing boat of Jesus looked like there have been many interesting drawings of what the apostle's boat looked like. The Kinneret boat (the official name for this ancient vessel) was in use around the time of Jesus and might well have represent a typical craft used by Jewish fishermen in the time of New Testament.This book has complete plans for the Galilee boat as well as a photograph ofa model of this vessel depicting what the fishing boat looked liked when afloat and in action on Galilee.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great, Factual Read About A Remarkable Find, September 16, 2008

By 

P. Hunt (San Francisco) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Sea Of Galilee Boat (Hardcover)

This is a perfect book for anyone interested in the methods of underwater excavation and subsequent conservation by a competent and well-respected nautical archaeologist as well as for those fascinated by the life and times of Roman Palestine and the fishing economy and navigation of sea transportation around Galilee. The core of the book is about the remarkable find and excavation in 1985-86 of a 2000 year old preserved fishing boat. Carefully documented and analytical without being in the least didactic, especially riveting in the boat's scientific dating and period of use by associated artifacts, it's very hard to out down as Wachsmann is a superb raconteur. Perhaps the often overt wish by others (although the cautious author is rightfully skeptical) to in any way link this important find to the famous stories of Jesus and his disciples is somewhat deserved, as this book certainly illuminates the time and place of the Sea of Galilee in Roman antiquity.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A fascinating review of a unique archaeological adventure, November 19, 2009

By 

W. David Mangum - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Sea of Galilee Boat (Ed Rachal Foundation Nautical Archaeology Series) (Paperback)

Dr Wachsmann's book is a detailed and entertaining saga about the discovery, recovery, movement, restoration and display of a unique archaeological artifact. The author draws you into the first hand account of every step, every challenge, every trial, every setback and every victory involved in the process of removing and restoring the one and only ancient Sea of Galilee boat ever found. The attention to the detail of the process and the description of the major characters involved makes this account read more like a novel than like the first hand archaeological report that it is. In everyday language and with patient detailed explanation, every step is made clear. The illustrations, though basic and in black and white, proove very helpful in visualizing things that are described. The historic references also add depth and detail to the mystery of answering the questions about the date, ownership and use of this boat. Also, having read the several references in the Gospels that refer to Jesus being in boats on Galilee, being able to picture such a typical fishing boat that was from the first century has added additional color and richness to those Gospel accounts.