Archaeology of a well-known historical event is exceedingly rare. Much of the discipline is a study in anonymity: the piecing together of data to tell the story. When an opportunity arises to link a historical figure to a site, scrutiny of an archaeologist's methods can be even closer. The research may be more compelling, but it arguably means that more is at stake, simply due to the site's prominence. Roger Smith and his team have done a commendable job not only in their methodology but in crafting an absorbing narrative about the Emanuel Point I shipwreck, associated with the mid-sixteenth-century Spanish colonial expedition led by Tristan de Luna in 1559.

Florida's Lost Galleon serves as the origin story for the renowned program in Maritime Archaeology at the University of West Florida, and it allows readers to follow the organic development of underwater archaeology as a scientific discipline in Florida. The book contains nine chapters, moving fluidly from topic to topic and concluding with an epilogue that provides a peek at future exploration of two other ships from Luna's fleet as well as recent and ongoing investigations of the site of Luna's colony in modern Pensacola.

Smith draws readers in with his introductory essay, creating an atmosphere that allows the audience to feel fully immersed in the experience, as if part of the dive team. Chapter 2 opens with a growing interest in exploring Florida waters thanks to finds by local divers and dredging operations. The discovery of Emanuel Point I as well as field methodology and decision making are discussed, along with the burgeoning partnership between the Florida Bureau of Archaeological Research, the Historic Pensacola Preservation Board, and the University of West Florida.

Worth provides a comprehensive historical narrative in Chapter 3, following the account of the Luna campaign from its beginnings in 1559 to its end in 1561. Worth's explanation of historical archaeology as a blend between the study of what people did and the study of what people thought perfectly sums up why many enjoy studying the archaeology of this era. Access to both archaeological and documentary evidence surrounding an event can lead to incredibly rewarding outcomes, and the combination of evidence often offers more insight than either pursuit would on its own.

In Chapter 4, Spirek and Cozzi diligently analyze the ship's remains, using raw data, theory, and conjecture to reconstruct the ship and offer possibilities as to its identity among the known ships in Luna's fleet. The resulting methodology is beyond reproach: the precise manner for determining hull dimensions using contemporary treatises makes it easy to conceptualize their derivations.

Bratten describes the artifact assemblage from the Emanuel Point I site in Chapter 5. An entire volume could be written about the material culture alone, and Bratten is necessarily brief in his descriptions here, although the interpretation of the finds is quite thorough and fascinating. The immense body of student research undertaken is well referenced, and readers can easily determine where to find additional information about specific artifacts.

Bratten shifts in Chapter 6 to a discussion about artifact conservation, detailing the development of a conservation lab and refinement of treatments. Conservation as a science has made significant advances in the 25 years since the treatment of Emanuel Point I material first began, and rather than functioning as a how-to guide, this chapter is a case study in how to adapt to changing situations and new developments, and it argues that further and future artifact analyses are critical to artifact conservation efforts.

A central theme throughout the book is the key role public involvement has played in the project's success, and Scott-Ireton focuses on this topic in Chapter 7. The excavation serves as a prime example of how to effectively work with the press and the public, keeping them informed and engaged to garner interest in helping to preserve and protect a local cultural resource. Questions from the press about the ship's identity and about whether any gold had been found were especially amusing, and Smith is to be lauded for his response that the ship would tell its own story if the archaeologists did their jobs correctly.

Smith and contributors have crafted a meticulous volume, seamlessly blending scientific data with their own personal experiences, which will endear the book to diverse audiences. The authors thoroughly convey the problem-solving skills necessary to run a successful project. Obstacles such as lack of time, money, or equipment thwart us all, and it is always informative to learn how colleagues work through those challenges. The search for the shipwrecks and the settlement associated with the Luna expedition encompasses unique combinations of terrestrial and maritime archaeology as well as archival research. Recent discoveries of Emanuel Point II and III shipwrecks as well as the Luna settlement will add to the rich treatments in Florida's Lost Galleon of maritime archaeology along the Florida Gulf Coast.