The Great Pacific Iron-Clipper Race
In the late 19th century, a new breed of sailing ship—the iron clipper—waged a final, spectacular battle against the rise of steam. This is the story of the Great Pacific…
Connecting the dots across time
In the late 19th century, a new breed of sailing ship—the iron clipper—waged a final, spectacular battle against the rise of steam. This is the story of the Great Pacific…
Discover the Hanseatic League, a medieval powerhouse that was not a kingdom but a powerful confederation of merchant cities. From controlling the salt trade with their iconic cog ships to…
Long before European powers dominated the waves, the Majapahit Empire of Indonesia built a vast thalassocracy stretching across Southeast Asia. From the 13th to the 16th century, they commanded the…
Beyond the striped shirts and straw hats lies the history of a powerful and secretive guild that once ruled the Venetian waterways. For centuries, the Arte dei Gondolieri not only…
Long before European ships rounded the Cape of Good Hope, a string of wealthy and cosmopolitan city-states dotted the East African coast. From Kilwa to Zanzibar, these Swahili ports were…
Meet the ancestors of the Polynesians. Over 3,000 years ago, the Lapita people used sophisticated outrigger canoes and non-instrumental navigation to undertake one of the greatest migrations in human history.…
Before the familiar Mercator projection became the global standard, mapmakers envisioned the world in radically different ways. These fascinating pre-modern maps were not just navigational tools but windows into the…
History often pictures a grizzled sea captain at the helm, but many of America’s most vital lighthouses were run by women of incredible fortitude. Delve into the forgotten stories of…