Into the deep: The history of man's underwater exploration

Man's centuries-old attempts to move about underwater have been just as zealous as his better known attempts to fly. This book brings together all the excitement of those efforts to dive-- the myths and the facts, the tragedies and triumphs. Robert Marx, a treasure-hunting diver and marine archaeologist, begins this history where men first dived: in Mesopotamia 6,500 years ago. From the ancient world of the Mediterranean, he traces the history of diving through the middle ages to Leonardo da Vinci's designs for underwater breathing devices to modern times and the highly sophisticated equipment of today. He describes the development of submarines and other weapons; the snorkel and the scuba; diving bells; deep-sea research capsules; and underwater habitats--pioneered by Cousteau, Link, Beebe and the Piccards--in which men have lived and worked for weeks at a time.