On the Ocean

On the Ocean: The Mediterranean and the Atlantic from Prehistory to AD 1500 is Sir Barry Cunliffe’s sweeping study of humankind’s evolving relationship with the sea — an exploration of curiosity, courage and discovery that has shaped the course of civilisation.

From the earliest hunter-gatherers who first crossed to Crete, to the seafarers of the Renaissance who charted the Atlantic from Labrador to Patagonia, Cunliffe traces the development of navigation, trade and exploration across two very different seas: the enclosed, familiar Mediterranean and the vast, unpredictable Atlantic. Drawing together archaeology, history, and geography, he shows how the sea was both barrier and bridge — a force that united distant peoples and transformed societies.

Lavishly illustrated with maps, charts and photographs, the book reveals how seafaring advanced through millennia, from simple rafts to ocean-going ships, and how the sea inspired myths, economies and empires alike. It is a masterful synthesis of scholarship and storytelling, offering a vivid maritime perspective on Europe’s past.

Praise for On the Ocean

“A beautifully illustrated masterpiece of multidisciplinary history.” – Antiquaries Journal

“An absorbing and lively account of the early Atlantic and Mediterranean.” – David Abulafia, History Today

“Beguiling, thought-provoking and sumptuously illustrated.” – Current World Archaeology

“A magisterial tour de force.” – David Lorimer, Paradigm Explorer

Winner of the Keith Muckelroy Award, The Nautical Archaeology Society

About the Author

Sir Barry Cunliffe, Emeritus Professor of European Archaeology at the University of Oxford, has written extensively on the archaeology and maritime history of Europe. His many works include The Ancient Celts, Facing the Ocean, and By Steppe, Desert, and Ocean. He was knighted in 2006 for services to archaeology and heritage.