Biography:Robert F. Marx

Short description: Pioneer American scuba diver known for work with shipwrecks and treasure hunting

In the left Bob Marx with the Israeli marine archaeologist Elisha Linder

Robert F. Marx (born December 8, 1933) is one of the pioneer American scuba divers and is best known for his work with shipwrecks and sunken treasure. Although he is considered controversial for his frequent and successful forays into treasure hunting, fellow treasure hunter E. Lee Spence describes Marx as the true father of underwater archaeology.

Biography

Marx became a diving specialist in the United States Marine Corps in 1953. He has since made over 5,000 dives and has authored over 800 reports/articles and 59 books on history, archaeology, shipwrecks and exploration.

Marx and his wife, Jenifer, live in Indialantic, Florida. They are co-authors of several non-fiction books.

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. In 1972 he participated in the creation of the research/professional degree of Doctor of Marine Histories.

Marx was made a Knight-commander in the Order of Isabella the Catholic by the Spain government for his re-enactment in the Niña II of Christopher Columbus' first voyage of exploration.

White gods

Marx has written 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 in the Los Angeles Times concluded that "Quest" is a good yarn, but Marx tries hard to dress it up as something slightly scandalous. In that sense, "Quest" is the archeological equivalent of Oliver Stone's "JFK"--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."

Bibliography

• They Found Treasure: [interviews] by Robert Forrest Burgess (New York : Dodd, Mead, ©1977) ISBN:0-396-07450-2, 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) ISBN:0-517-58270-8, ISBN:978-0-517-58270-1, OCLC 24065049
• Readings in Physical Anthropology and Archaeology by David E Hunter and Phillip Whitten (New York : Harper & Row, ©1978) ISBN:0-06-043023-0, ISBN:978-0-06-043023-8, OCLC: 4004685
• Spence's Guide to South Carolina : diving, 639 shipwrecks (1520-1813), saltwater sport fishing, recreational shrimping, crabbing, oystering, clamming, saltwater aquarium, 136 campgrounds, 281 boat landings by E. Lee Spence, (Nelson Southern Printing, Sullivan's Island, S.C.: Spence, ©1976) OCLC: 2846435
• 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) ISBN:1-55013-418-3, ISBN:978-1-55013-418-6, ISBN:1-55013-497-3, ISBN:978-1-55013-497-1, 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) ISBN:1-55297-872-9, ISBN:978-1-55297-872-6, 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) ISBN:0-88405-359-8 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) ISBN:0-385-08296-7, ISBN:978-0-385-08296-9, OCLC 613717
• The Underwater Dig: an introduction to marine archaeology by Robert F Marx (New York : H.Z. Walck, 1975) ISBN:0-8098-3536-3, 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) ISBN:0-442-80386-9, ISBN:978-0-442-80386-5, OCLC: 3844466
• Encyclopedia of Western Atlantic Shipwrecks and Sunken Treasure by Victoria Sandz and Robert F Marx (Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland, ©2001) ISBN:0-7864-1018-3, OCLC 46836931
• The World's Richest Shipwrecks by Robert F Marx and Jenifer Marx (Toronto: Key Porter Books, 2005) ISBN:1-55263-656-9, OCLC 60369569
• Treasures from the Sea: Exploring the world's great shipwrecks by Robert F Marx and Jenifer Marx (Toronto: Key Porter Books, 2003) ISBN:1-55263-207-5, [ 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) ISBN:0-679-50795-7, ISBN:978-0-679-50795-6, [ OCLC: 3203427]
• Buried treasures you can find : over 7500 locations in all 50 states by Robert F Marx (Dallas, TX : Ram Books, ©1993)ISBN:0915920824, ISBN:978-0-915920-82-2, OCLC: 29561608
• Shipwrecks in Florida Waters : a billion dollar graveyard by Robert F Marx (Chuluota, Fla.: Mickler House, 1985, ©1979) ISBN:0-913122-51-3, OCLC 13651406
• The History of Underwater Exploration by Robert F Marx (New York : Dover Publications, 1990) ISBN:0-486-26487-4, OCLC 21563447
• In the Wake of Galleons by Robert F Marx (Flagstaff, AZ: Best Pub. Co., ©2001) ISBN:0-941332-95-0, 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

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
• New York Times Article