Blackbeard's Sunken Prize

224 pp., 8.5 x 10.5, 227 color plates., 42 halftones, 14 maps, 3 graphs, 4 tables, notes, index

Paperback ISBN: 978-1-4696-4052-5
Published: June 2018
eBook ISBN: 978-1-4696-4053-2
Published: April 2018

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In 1717, the notorious pirate Blackbeard captured a French slaving vessel off the coast of Martinique and made it his flagship, renaming it Queen Anne's Revenge. Over the next six months, the heavily armed ship and its crew captured all manner of riches from merchant ships sailing the Caribbean to the Carolinas. But in June 1718, with British authorities closing in, Blackbeard reportedly ran Queen Anne's Revenge aground just off the coast of what is now North Carolina's Fort Macon State Park. What went down with the ship remained hidden for centuries, as the legend of Blackbeard continued to swell in the public's imagination. When divers finally discovered the wreck in 1996, it was immediately heralded as a major find in both maritime archaeology and the history of piracy in the Atlantic. Now the story of Queen Anne's Revenge and its fearsome captain is revealed in full detail.

Having played vital roles in the shipwreck's recovery and interpretation, Mark U. Wilde-Ramsing and Linda F. Carnes-McNaughton vividly reveal in words and images the ship's first use as a French privateer and slave ship, its capture and use by Blackbeard's armada, the circumstances of its sinking, and all that can be known about life as an eighteenth-century pirate based on a wealth of artifacts now raised from the ocean floor.

About the Authors

Mark U. Wilde-Ramsing is the former Deputy State Archaeologist (Underwater) of North Carolina and past director of the Queen Anne's Revenge Shipwreck Project.
For more information about Mark U. Wilde-Ramsing, visit the Author Page.

Linda F. Carnes-McNaughton is the current Program Archaeologist and Curator at Fort Bragg's Cultural Resources Management Program.
For more information about Linda F. Carnes-McNaughton, visit the Author Page.

Reviews

“Having played vital roles in the shipwreck’s recovery and interpretation, Mark U. Wilde-Ramsing and Linda F. Carnes-McNaughton vividly reveal in words and images the ship’s first use as a French privateer and slave ship, its capture and use by Blackbeard’s armada, the circumstances of its sinking, and all that can be known about life as an eighteenth-century pirate based on a wealth of artifacts now raised from the ocean floor.”--McCormick Messenger

“A wide range of researchers will find illuminating new data in a clearly written text that should also capture the imaginations of undergraduates and general readers.”—CHOICE

“Not only does it tell the exciting story of the discovery and excavation of the pirate flagship, it is a primer for underwater archaeology.”—American Archaeoology

“This book would make an excellent text for an undergraduate course and also will serve as a useful reference for professionals.”—American Antiquities Review

“Feels like a fun and informative tour through a museum led by engaging and educated tour guides. . . . Engages directly with readers, bringing them along on the journey from Blackbeard’s exploits upon the high seas three centuries ago to the dedicated team of modern-day archaeologists who documented and interpreted the archaeological record.”—North Carolina Historical Review

“Brings a unique body of evidence to bear on the understanding of early modern piracy.”—Journal of Southern History