The Pepper Wreck

In 1606, a Portuguese ship carrying peppercorns, porcelain, and other products from Cochin, foundered during a storm and sank, spreading the precious cargo along the shores of the Tagus River near Lisbon. The author details the ship's excavation by crews working in cold water and fast currents between 1997 and 2000. The nautical history of Iberia, the developments in shipbuilding, and life aboard the ships are also considered in this generously illustrated volume.