Sir Robert F. Marx (December 8, 1936 – July 4, 2019) was an American pioneer in
scuba diving
Scuba diving is a mode of underwater diving whereby divers use breathing equipment that is completely independent of a surface air supply. The name "scuba", an acronym for "Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus", was coined by Chris ...
, a prolific author, and was best known for his work with
marine archeology. Over his career, he discovered over 5000 shipwrecks in over 60 countries. Although some accused him of
treasure hunting
Treasure hunter is the physical search for treasure. For example, treasure hunters try to find sunken shipwrecks and retrieve artifacts with market value. This industry is generally fueled by the market for antiquities. The practice of treasure ...
, fellow archeologist
E. Lee Spence described Marx as the "true father of underwater archaeology". Marx also helped write
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
legislation regarding shipwrecks.
Early life
![Winfield Scott Litho](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/Winfield_Scott_Litho.jpg)
Marx was born on December 8, 1936, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to a single mother. As a boy, Marx was fascinated with history and exploration and spent most of his time at school and public libraries reading books and magazines such as ''
National Geographic
''National Geographic'' (formerly the ''National Geographic Magazine'', sometimes branded as NAT GEO) is a popular American monthly magazine published by National Geographic Partners. Known for its photojournalism, it is one of the most widely ...
''. At the age of 8 after refusing to go to summer camp, Marx ran away to his uncle, who owned a pool hall. For a while, Marx worked as a bookie, collecting bets from patrons. But one patron was a plainclothes cop, and Marx ended up in Juvenile Court detention.
In the fourth grade, he was kicked out of his geography class for correcting the teacher too often. After first using swim goggles while staying with relatives on
Lake St. Clair
Lake St. Clair (french: Lac Sainte-Claire) is a freshwater lake that lies between the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of Michigan. It was named in 1679 by French Catholic explorers after Saint Clare of Assisi, on whose feast day ...
, Marx began to experiment with homemade diving devices at home in Pittsburgh. He almost died using a World War II gas-mask that was modified per instructions in a
Popular Science
''Popular Science'' (also known as ''PopSci'') is an American digital magazine carrying popular science content, which refers to articles for the general reader on science and technology subjects. ''Popular Science'' has won over 58 awards, incl ...
Magazine. He returned to using goggles while retrieving lost fishing tackle and anchors in nearby lakes. At the age of 13, Marx ran away to
Atlantic City
Atlantic City, often known by its initials A.C., is a coastal resort city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States. The city is known for its casinos, Boardwalk (entertainment district), boardwalk, and beaches. In 2020 United States censu ...
,
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...
, which was the first time he ever saw the ocean. While living under the boardwalk, Marx befriended a Polish-American
helmet diver who took him in, where Marx spent over a year cleaning the bottom of boats. As juvenile authorities approached, Marx was sent to work with the man's cousin (also a helmet diver) on
Long Island Sound
Long Island Sound is a marine sound and tidal estuary of the Atlantic Ocean. It lies predominantly between the U.S. state of Connecticut to the north and Long Island in New York to the south. From west to east, the sound stretches from the Eas ...
, where Marx helped recover crashed Sikorski helicopters.
Marx then traveled to
Hollywood
Hollywood usually refers to:
* Hollywood, Los Angeles, a neighborhood in California
* Hollywood, a metonym for the cinema of the United States
Hollywood may also refer to:
Places United States
* Hollywood District (disambiguation)
* Hollywood, ...
,
California
California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
, where his aunt, who owned an apartment complex, lived. He co-founded the Neptunes, the second
freediving
Freediving, free-diving, free diving, breath-hold diving, or skin diving is a form of underwater diving that relies on breath-holding until resurfacing rather than the use of breathing apparatus such as scuba gear.
Besides the limits of breath-h ...
club in the US. Marx began spearing fish for food and money. On one occasion, while using a plexiglass camera case he had built to capture images of seals, he was nearly attacked by a pod of orcas. It was in California that Marx discovered his first shipwreck, the ''
SS Winfield Scott'', from which he salvaged several gold coins.
Career
Marine Corps
In 1953, at the age of 17, Marx joined the
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through combi ...
where he served as a
Staff Sergeant
Staff sergeant is a rank of non-commissioned officer used in the armed forces of many countries. It is also a police rank in some police services.
History of title
In origin, certain senior sergeants were assigned to administrative, supervi ...
in combat in
Korea
Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic o ...
. He then became a diving specialist. Due to his natural talent, he later became the Director of the
USMC Diving School,
Vieques
Vieques (; ), officially Isla de Vieques, is an island and municipality of Puerto Rico, in the northeastern Caribbean, part of an island grouping sometimes known as the Spanish Virgin Islands. Vieques is part of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, ...
,
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and Unincorporated ...
. During his final year in the Marines, Marx went on two six-week cruises in the Mediterranean, where he salvaged Roman, Greek, and Phoenician ships. While diving in the
Bay of Cádiz
The Bay of Cádiz is a body of water in the province of Cádiz, Spain, adjacent to the southwestern coast of the Iberian Peninsula.
The Bay of Cádiz adjoins the Gulf of Cádiz, a larger body of water which is in the same area but further offsho ...
, Marx's ship left port, leaving him stranded in Spain without identification. After notifying the US Embassy, he spent three days with a history professor at the
University of Seville
The University of Seville (''Universidad de Sevilla'') is a university in Seville, Spain. Founded under the name of ''Colegio Santa María de Jesús'' in 1505, it has a present student body of over 69.200, and is one of the top-ranked universi ...
and the owner of the largest wine-bodega in
Jerez
Jerez de la Frontera (), or simply Jerez (), is a Spanish city and municipality in the province of Cádiz in the autonomous community of Andalusia, in southwestern Spain, located midway between the Atlantic Ocean and the Cádiz Mountains. , the c ...
, who was also a historian. Marx later remarked that he "learned more about history and archaeology from them than
emight have in four years of college."
Discoveries
![USS Monitor - H58758](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f0/USS_Monitor_-_H58758.jpg)
He went on to make over 5,000 dives and authored over 800 reports and articles and 59 books on history, archaeology, shipwrecks and exploration.
[RS Operations LLC web site](_blank)
He was a founding member of the Council on Underwater Archaeology and of the
Sea Research Society and served on the Society's Board of Advisors. Marx claimed to have discovered the
USS Monitor
USS ''Monitor'' was an ironclad warship built for the Union Navy during the American Civil War and completed in early 1862, the first such ship commissioned by the Navy. ''Monitor'' played a central role in the Battle of Hampton Roads on 9 Mar ...
. In 1972 he participated in the creation of the research/professional degree of Doctor of Marine Histories. In 1972, Marx discovered and salvaged the Spanish galleon ''
Nuestra Señora de las Maravillas
''Nuestra'' is the debut studio album of the Venezuelan rock band La Vida Bohème, released in August 2010. Recorded and produced by Rudy Pagliuca, it is a free download on the website of the record label All of the Above.
The album was nominated ...
'', which wrecked off the coast of
Grand Bahama
Grand Bahama is the northernmost of the islands of the Bahamas, with the town of West End located east of Palm Beach, Florida. It is the third largest island in the Bahamas island chain of approximately 700 islands and 2,400 cays. The island is ...
in 1656. His expedition later became the subject of the network television documentary ''Treasure Galleon'' narrated by
Rod Serling
Rodman Edward Serling (December 25, 1924 – June 28, 1975) was an American screenwriter, playwright, television producer, and narrator/on-screen host, best known for his live television dramas of the 1950s and his anthology television series ' ...
.
Alleged discovery of Roman amphorae
Also when Marx went to
Brazil
Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...
in 1982 when he attempted to prove that
Roman
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
*Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a letter ...
amphorae
An amphora (; grc, ἀμφορεύς, ''amphoreús''; English plural: amphorae or amphoras) is a type of container with a pointed bottom and characteristic shape and size which fit tightly (and therefore safely) against each other in storag ...
had been brought there by ship. In 1985 Marx claimed that the Brazilian government covered up the amphorae, an allegation the government denied. A businessman named Americo Santarelli said that he had 16 amphora replicas made which he dropped in the bay to age them but had only recovered four. A year before this dispute the government charged Marx of
contraband
Contraband (from Medieval French ''contrebande'' "smuggling") refers to any item that, relating to its nature, is illegal to be possessed or sold. It is used for goods that by their nature are considered too dangerous or offensive in the eyes o ...
backing this claim with a catalogue of a 1983 Amsterdam auction where gold coins and other artefacts were offered for sale by Marx and his associates that had not been declared by Marx despite an agreement to do so. Several attempts to let Marx respond to this allegation were rebuffed.
Recreated voyages
![Niña replica - Morro Bay CA](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e8/Ni%C3%B1a_replica_-_Morro_Bay_CA.jpg)
In 1962, Marx organized and led a re-enactment of
Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus
* lij, Cristoffa C(or)ombo
* es, link=no, Cristóbal Colón
* pt, Cristóvão Colombo
* ca, Cristòfor (or )
* la, Christophorus Columbus. (; born between 25 August and 31 October 1451, died 20 May 1506) was a ...
' voyage from the
Canary Islands
The Canary Islands (; es, Canarias, ), also known informally as the Canaries, are a Spanish autonomous community and archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, in Macaronesia. At their closest point to the African mainland, they are west of Morocc ...
to
San Salvador Island
San Salvador Island (known as Watling's Island from the 1680s until 1925) is an island and district of The Bahamas. It is widely believed that during Christopher Columbus's first expedition to the New World, this island was the first land he s ...
in an exact replica of his ship ''La Niña'', donned the ''
Niña II''. After 3 months, they arrived in the
Bahamas
The Bahamas (), officially the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, is an island country within the Lucayan Archipelago of the West Indies in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic. It takes up 97% of the Lucayan Archipelago's land area and is home to ...
on Christmas Eve. According to Marx, "It’s likely the closest modern sailors had come to experiencing the conditions, the determination, and the incredible amount of luck that was needed to cross an ocean 500 years ago." As a result of his endeavor, Marx was made a Knight-commander in the
Order of Isabella the Catholic
The Order of Isabella the Catholic ( es, Orden de Isabel la Católica) is a Spanish civil order and honor granted to persons and institutions in recognition of extraordinary services to the homeland or the promotion of international relations a ...
by the
Spanish
Spanish might refer to:
* Items from or related to Spain:
**Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain
**Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries
**Spanish cuisine
Other places
* Spanish, Ontario, Cana ...
government. In 1964 and 1969 he was the organizer and captain of two voyages of replica Viking ships from Europe to the Americas. He sought to demonstrate the possibility of pre-Columbian transatlantic contact.
Following his trip, Kittinger appeared as himself on the January 14, 1963 episode of the game show ''
To Tell the Truth''. He received three of four possible votes.
Writings
Marx authored 59 books and over 900 articles. He was also the Adventure Editor of the ''
Saturday Evening Post
''The Saturday Evening Post'' is an American magazine, currently published six times a year. It was issued weekly under this title from 1897 until 1963, then every two weeks until 1969. From the 1920s to the 1960s, it was one of the most widely c ...
'', Archaeology Editor of ''
Argosy magazine
''Argosy'', later titled ''The Argosy'', ''Argosy All-Story Weekly'' and ''The New Golden Argosy'', was an American pulp magazine from 1882 through 1978, published by Frank Munsey until its sale to Popular Publications in 1942. It is the first ...
'', as well as a consultant for television and film. He appeared in the documentary television series ''
History's Mysteries
''History's Mysteries'' is an American documentary television series that aired on the History Channel.
Overview
The 154 episodes of the series were produced from 1998 to 2011. Each season consisted of 12 to 14 one-hour episodes that focused on ...
''. He also produced 55 television documentary films and has worked or appeared in more than a hundred more. Marx also helped write UNESCO legislation regarding shipwrecks, as he had interacted with local governments throughout his career in order to gain access to wrecks. Marx was also a member of the
Explorer's Club
The Explorers Club is an American-based international multidisciplinary professional society with the goal of promoting scientific exploration and field study. The club was founded in New York City in 1904, and has served as a meeting point fo ...
.
White gods
Marx wrote extensively about the concept of
White gods. Marx came to the conclusion that White Gods "figure in almost every indigenous culture in the Americas." A review by
Jonathan Kirsch
Jonathan Kirsch is an American attorney, writer, and a columnist for the ''Los Angeles Times''. He is a bestselling author of books on religion, the Bible, and Judaism.
Biography
Life
Kirsch earned a B.A. degree in Russian and Jewish history fr ...
in the Los Angeles Times concluded that "Quest" was a good yarn, but Marx tried hard to dress it up as something slightly scandalous. In that sense, "Quest" was the archeological equivalent of
Oliver Stone's ''
JFK
John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), often referred to by his initials JFK and the nickname Jack, was an American politician who served as the 35th president of the United States from 1961 until his assassination i ...
''—Marx seeks to prove the existence of "great white gods" by offering us a haphazard collection of oddities, rumors and coincidences, but what's on display here is really nothing more than the passions and obsessions of a born showman."
Marx argued that the Vikings created the Mayan civilisation, arguing that "Their kingdom was founded by a great eastern ruler named Votan. Votan was a white man who with his crew of tall, fair-haired, blue eyed men in dragon-prowed "serpent ships" brought the Mayan people across the sea and settled them in their new land." The problem is that the
Popul Vuh
''Popol Vuh'' (also ''Popol Wuj'' or ''Popul Vuh'' or ''Pop Vuj'') is a text recounting the mythology and history of the Kʼicheʼ people, one of the Maya peoples, who inhabit Guatemala and the Mexican states of Chiapas, Campeche, Yucatan and ...
has no mention of a Votan. This claim originates in the mistaken translations by
Diego de Landa
Diego de Landa Calderón, O.F.M. (12 November 1524 – 29 April 1579) was a Spanish Franciscan bishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Yucatán. Many historians criticize his campaign against idolatry. In particular, he burned almost al ...
who thought that Mayan glyphs were letters corresponding to the Roman alphabet.
Personal life
Marx met his wife, Jenifer, during the excavation of
Port Royal
Port Royal is a village located at the end of the Palisadoes, at the mouth of Kingston Harbour, in southeastern Jamaica. Founded in 1494 by the Spanish, it was once the largest city in the Caribbean, functioning as the centre of shipping and co ...
in the 1960s. In later life, they lived in
Indialantic,
Florida
Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...
with their three daughters. Together, they co-authored over 30
non-fiction
Nonfiction, or non-fiction, is any document or media content that attempts, in good faith, to provide information (and sometimes opinions) grounded only in facts and real life, rather than in imagination. Nonfiction is often associated with be ...
books.
Death
Marx died on July 4, 2019, at the age of 82.
Bibliography
* ''They Found Treasure:
nterviews' by Robert Forrest Burgess (New York : Dodd, Mead, ©1977)
OCLC 2797871* ''In Quest of the Great White Gods: contact between the Old and New World from the dawn of history'' by Robert F Marx and Jenifer Marx (New York : Crown, ©1992) ,
OCLC 24065049* ''Readings in Physical Anthropology and Archaeology'' by David E Hunter and Phillip Whitten (New York : Harper & Row, ©1978) ,
OCLC: 4004685* ''Always Another Adventure'', by Robert F Marx (Cleveland, World Pub. Co., 1967
OCLC 1355136* ''Shipwrecks of the Virgin Islands, 1523-1825'' by Robert F Marx; Edward L Towle and the Caribbean Research Institute (St. Thomas, V.I., Caribbean Research Institute, 1969
OCLC: 209714* ''The Search for Sunken Treasure: Exploring the world's great shipwrecks'' by Robert F Marx and Jenifer Marx (Toronto : Key-Porter Books, ©1993) , , ,
OCLC 28018648* ''Treasure Lost at Sea : Diving to the world's great shipwrecks'' by Robert F Marx and Jenifer Marx (Buffalo, N.Y. : Firefly Books, ©2003) ,
OCLC 54464113* ''The Battle of the Spanish Armada 1588'' by Robert F Marx (Cleveland, World Pub. Co., ©1965
OCLC 920618* ''Still More Adventures'' by Robert F Marx (Mason/Charter, 1976)
OCLC 2332224* ''Sea Fever'' by Robert F Marx (Garden City, N.Y., Doubleday, 1972
OCLC 393700* ''Port Royal Rediscovered'' by Robert F Marx (Garden City, N.Y., Doubleday, 1973) ,
OCLC 613717* ''The Underwater Dig: an introduction to marine archaeology'' by Robert F Marx (New York : H.Z. Walck, 1975)
OCLC: 1504496* ''Shipwrecks of the Western Hemisphere, 1492-1825'' by Robert F Marx (New York, World Pub. Co., 1971
OCLC 207459* ''The Lure of Sunken Treasure: under the sea with marine archaeologists and treasure hunters'' by Robert F Marx (New York, McKay, 1973
OCLC 714464* ''Into the Deep : the history of man's underwater exploration'' by Robert F Marx (Van Nostrand Reinhold, ©1978) ,
OCLC: 3844466* ''Encyclopedia of Western Atlantic Shipwrecks and Sunken Treasure'' by Victoria Sandz and Robert F Marx (Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland, ©2001)
OCLC 46836931* ''The World's Richest Shipwrecks'' by Robert F Marx and Jenifer Marx (Toronto: Key Porter Books, 2005)
OCLC 60369569* ''Treasures from the Sea: Exploring the world's great shipwrecks'' by Robert F Marx and Jenifer Marx (Toronto: Key Porter Books, 2003) ,
OCLC 52039638* ''The treasure fleets of the Spanish Main'' by Robert F Marx (Cleveland, World Pub. Co., 1968
OCLC 448399* The Battle of Lepanto, 1571'' by Robert F Marx (Cleveland, World Pub. Co., 1966
OCLC 1349558* ''They Dared the Deep; a history of diving'' by Robert F Marx (Cleveland, World Pub. Co., 1967
OCLC 1354152* ''Following Columbus; the voyage of the Nina II'' by Robert F Marx (Cleveland, World Pub. Co., ©1964
OCLC: 1413847* ''Buried Treasure of the United States: how and where to locate hidden wealth'' by Robert F Marx (New York : McKay, ©1978) , ,
OCLC: 3203427* ''Buried treasures you can find : over 7500 locations in all 50 states'' by Robert F Marx (Dallas, TX : Ram Books, ©1993),
OCLC: 29561608* ''Shipwrecks in Florida Waters : a billion dollar graveyard'' by Robert F Marx (Chuluota, Fla.: Mickler House, 1985, ©1979)
OCLC 13651406* ''The History of Underwater Exploration'' by Robert F Marx (New York : Dover Publications, 1990)
OCLC 21563447* ''In the Wake of Galleons'' by Robert F Marx (Flagstaff, AZ: Best Pub. Co., ©2001)
OCLC 49311568* ''Clay smoking pipes recovered from the sunken city of Port Royal October 1, 1967 – March 31, 1968'' by Robert F Marx; Jamaica National Trust Commission (Kingston, Jamaica National Trust Commission, 1968
OCLC 121031
See also
*''
Niña II''
References
External links
Seven Seas Search and Salvage, LLC (as Consultant)Sea Research Society(non-profit, educational research foundation)
Find Marx's books & maps in a library with WorldCat
{{DEFAULTSORT:Marx, Robert F.
1933 births
2019 deaths
21st-century American historians
21st-century American male writers
American underwater divers
Order of Isabella the Catholic
Place of birth missing
Treasure hunters
Underwater archaeologists
United States Marines
People from Indialantic, Florida
Professional divers
Maritime archaeology
Recipients of the Order of Isabella the Catholic
People from Pittsburgh
American archaeologists
American non-fiction writers
Historians from Florida
American male non-fiction writers