First published in 1946, this book presents a comprehensive account regarding the origins and early evolution of water transport written by the renowned British ethnographer and zoologist James Hornell (1865–1949). The focus of the text is on different types of transport, and it is divided into three main sections: the first section is on 'Floats, Rafts and Kindred Craft', the second is on 'Skin Boats: Coracles, Curraghs, Kayaks and their Kin' and the third is on 'Bark Canoes, Dugouts and Plank-Built Craft'. Numerous illustrative figures and a detailed bibliography are also included. This book will be of value to anyone with an interest in archaeology, anthropology and the history of water transport.