DOC The World's Lighthouses: From Ancient Times to 1820 (Dover Maritime) by D. Alan Stevenson in Arts-Photography

Description

In use since the dawn of recorded history for the guidance of ships at sea; lighthouses have long been a source of inspiration and fascination. Indeed; a lighthouse ranked among the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Lighthouse lovers will welcome this new edition of a classic volume mdash; a superb; profusely illustrated survey of lighthouses from earliest times to 1820. Noted authority D. Alan Stevenson mdash; a relative of Robert Louis Stevenson and member of a clan of lighthouse engineers mdash; drew upon records from the family firm and old books now inaccessible to most readers to write this highly readable; extensively researched account.Chronicling both the construction of the towers as well as the methods of illumination; the text traces developments from the open fires of thousands of years ago. The introduction of candles and oil lamps; followed by parabolic reflectors and the worlds first revolving light in 1871; culminates in the 1819 construction of Bell Rock Tower; the last of the great isolated lighthouses built before steam vessels were available to transport building materials. In addition to a wealth of technical data; the text is enhanced by more than 200 rare illustrations and designs. Depictions include such seamarks as a Venetian oil navigation light (c. 1400); the Pharos of Ostia (c. 1575); the Messina lighthouse (1674); the Dungeness lighthouse (c. 1690); and Australias Macquarie lighthouse (1817).Maritime historians; lighthouse enthusiasts; and anyone who has ever felt the romantic lure of these lonely sentinels by the sea will prize this remarkable work.