Reviews Poseidon and the Sea: Myth, Cult, and Daily Life edited by Seth D. Pevnick. With contributions by Robert I. Cunis, Nancy T. de Grummond, Angeliki Kokkinou, Jeffrey Maish, William M. Murray, Seth D. Pevnick, and Erika Simon (Tampa Museum of Art in association with D. Giles Ltd., London, 2014, 200pp, illus, notes, gloss, biblio, index, isbn 9781-907804-30-4; $49.95hc) This book is a substantive companion to an exhibition that explo res the role of the sea and its attendant deities in ancient Greece, Etruria and Rome. Insights abound in the art and iconography of mythology and cult practices, along with the more commonplace representation of the sea in everyday life such as shipbuilding, fishing and maritime trade. The first chapters offer descriptive overviews of the appearance of Poseidon in all his forms over a great temporal and geographic swath, proposing observations and theories for some of these variations as myths and religious views evolved. The second part offers some cultural context that allow for more engaging perspectives on this deity. One chapter is a case study of the scientific analysis of an ancient object from the Getty collection that makes for varied reading, while an off-beat and surprisingly satisfying chapter focuses on culinary associations with the great diversity of fish frequently represented in Roman mosaics and frescoes. The standard of quality in the selection of works for the book is consistently high. Standouts include a silver and gold handle in the shape of Triton from the Getty Villa; a bronze lamp in the form of three sea creatures; many vessels decorated with or in the form of fishes, shells and even a lobster claw; and a large spherical bowl with five Greek ships sailing around the interior rim. The volume includes a thematically organized exhibition checklist with high-quality images of the works (many of the coins are blown up far larger than life-size) along with a useful glossary. An illustrated chronology is intended to provide a temporal overlay to the thematically organized topic, but it is too cursory to be of serious visual or historical use. Many of the works in the checklist were acquired by the lending museums SEA HISTORY 148, AUTUMN 2014
after 1970, a watershed date adopted by the Association of Art Museum Directors intended to battle the export and sale of looted antiquities. All may have records of ownership prior to that date, but in light of the rapidly evolving ethical policies for museums, it would have been good to see a statement in the volume addressing the museums' awareness of the iss ue. Twelve works on the checklist that are still in
private hands (with several more from a private Swiss foundation) are particularly problematic, given their likelihood of eventually reaching the marketplace. The exhibition drew solid attendance figures at the Joslyn Museum in Omaha and has now moved on to the Tampa Museum of Art. DANIEL FINAMORE
Salem, Massachusetts
Rescue ofthe Bounty: Disaster and Survival in Superstorm Sandy by Michael]. Tougias and Douglas A. Campbell (Scribner, New York, 2014, 256pp, illus, index, ISBN 978-147674663-0; $25hc) It struck too close to the heart for many of us in the maritime heritage and sail training communities. Watching footage of Bounty being battered by the waves off Cape Hatteras during Hurricane Sandy was bad enough. We knew the ship. For many others, the tragedy struck deeper. They knew the sailors. It was the most surreal of scenes, a wooden sailing ship in 2012, designed like
an old collier, being lost ro a hurricane while Coast Guard C-130s and helicopters coordinated the attempted rescue of sixteen crew members. It was the nineteenth century meeting the twenty-first. As we watched the news unfold during the storm, we all asked the same question: what the hell are they doing out there? Authors Michael Tougias and Douglas Campbell base their book on this question, and attempt to probe the mind of Robin Walbridge, late captain of Bounty. They explore his past, his beliefs, and his past decisions regarding the ship, trying to wrestle the answer from him. Unfortunately, the closest we will ever come is conjecture, save for one or two thoughts. Walbridge used the classic "a ship is safer at sea than in port" line more than a few times, and, from all accounts, truly believed he could outrun the storm.
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