Treasure of the Atocha

Lost during a hurricane off the Florida Keys more than 350 years ago, the Spanish galleon Atocha has finally yielded its secrets and treasure. Fisher and his salvage crew searched the shallow waters near Key West for 16 years at a cost of four lives, eight million dollars and court battles with both federal and state governments for ownership of the Atocha’s immense wealth. When Mathewson joined Fisher in 1973, he became suspect among his professional colleagues, for reputable archeologists simply did not work with treasure hunters or adventurers. He trained divers and applied the basic techniques of land archeology with notable success. Mathewson tells a compelling story of mystery and adventure, of piecing together a complex puzzle. Excellent photographs and diagrams complement the text, enabling us to go beyond the treasure for a glimpse of early 17th-century travel. A fitting sequel to Eugene Lyon’s The Search for the Atocha.
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Many books are inspired by the romance of the sea, the drama of a shipwreck, the lure of buried treasure. Few succeed as well as Treasure of the Atocha, written by the archaeological director of the underwater “dig” that is recovering both intellectual and monetary treasures from the Atocha, a Spanish galleon that sank off the coast of Florida in 1622. Mathewson’s book recounts the search for the Atocha, which culminated in 1985, as well as the controversies and tragedies that hounded that quest. And it reveals the author’s struggles as an archaeologist to bridge the worlds of archaeologists/historians, committed to understanding the past, and treasure hunters seeking immediate financial gain. A compelling book that raises and addresses important and exciting questions Jay R. Kaufman, Massachusetts Bay Marine Studies Consortium, Boston
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.