Black Ships and Sea Raiders is tour de force that picks up the story of the Trojan heroes where 1177, Homer's Odyssey, and Old Testament tales of the Philistines leave off, giving us new answers by redirecting emphasis to maritime technology and culture along with an astounding collection of Bronze Age textual sources. In doing so, it redirects us from the lopsided attention on the Philistines to the Sherden and other 'Sea Peoples.' While many questions continue to make the Bronze Age collapse a topic of intense fascination, Jeffrey Emanuel has written a page turner from start to finish. -- Louise A. Hitchcock, University of Melbourne
In this broad ranging and well-researched monograph, Jeff Emanuel illuminates the archaeological and historical realities of the 'Sherden,' one of the main groups of the so-called 'Sea Peoples' of the Late Bronze and early Iron Ages of the central and eastern Mediterranean. In doing so, he masterfully interweaves the Homeric epic, the ancient near eastern (and in particular Egyptian) written sources, and the archaeological evidence from various regions of the eastern Mediterranean. The result is commendable indeed, and is recommended for all those interested in the history and culture of the Bronze and Iron Age Mediterranean. -- Aren Maeir, Bar-Ilan University
Overall, Black Ships and Sea Raiders constitutes an enlightening compilation of evidence for the Sea Peoples and their lasting cultural legacies in Greek epic. The text, primary sources, and highly useful black-and-white images are presented with clear references and minimal errors. The author judiciously stops short of any arguments concerning the ethnicities of these varied groups. . . this book shrewdly interweaves variegated pieces of evidence to demonstrate how epic and historical evidence can be brought into dialogue with one another to interpret phenomena as shadowy as the Sea Peoples. This book is recommended for anyone interested in cultural and historical aspects of the Bronze to Iron Age transition.
