The first illustrated book on mudlarking that tells the captivating stories of forgotten people through objects recovered from the river Thames. Combining insights from 200 eclectic objects discovered on the Thames foreshore, meticulous historical research and contextual illustrations, Mudlark'd uncovers the hidden histories of forgotten people from all over the world. Beginning in each case with a particular find, Malcolm Russell tells the stories of the people who owned, made or used such objects, revealing the habits, customs and crafts not only of those living in London but also of those passing through, from continental Europe, the Americas, Africa, Asia and Australia.

In the 18th and 19th centuries London was the busiest port in the world, exchanging goods, ideas, people and power with every continent. The Thames long acted as London's water source, shipyard, thoroughfare and rubbish dump. Its banks have been densely packed with taverns, brothels, markets and workplaces, and scavengers - known as mudlarks - have scoured them since at least the 18th century.

Consequently, the Thames today offers a repository of intriguing objects that evoke ways of life long forgotten. A delicate bone hair pin uncovers the story of Roman ornatrices - enslaved hairdressers. A counterfeit coin reveals the heritage of millions of Australians. Glass beads expose the brutal dynamics of the transatlantic slave trade. Clay tobacco pipes uncover the lives of Edwardian women parachutists and Victorian magicians. A scrap of Tudor cloth illuminates the stories of Dutch and French religious refugees.

The book also includes a primer, giving step-by-step advice on how to mudlark

on tidal rivers and how to identify commonly made finds.

这是**本关于“泥泞寻宝”的插图书，通过从泰晤士河中找到的物品讲述被遗忘者的迷人故事。本书从泰晤士河前滩发现的200件各式各样的物品中获得了见解、细致的历史研究和背景插图，揭示了世界各地被遗忘者的隐秘历史。马尔科姆·拉塞尔（Malcolm Russell）从每一个特定的发现开始，讲述了拥有、制造或使用这些物品的人的故事，揭示的不仅是生活在伦敦的人，还有那些来自欧洲大陆、美洲、非洲、亚洲和澳大利亚的过客的习惯、习俗和工艺。

在18和19世纪，伦敦是世界上最繁忙的港口，与各大洲交换货物、思想、人员和权力。泰晤士河长期以来是伦敦的水源、船厂、大道和垃圾场。泰晤士河两岸密布着酒馆、妓院、市场和工作场所，早在18世纪，拾荒者，也被称为“mudlarks”，就开始在这里寻宝了。

因此，今天的泰晤士河提供了一个耐人寻味的物品库，唤起了人们早已遗忘的生活方式。一枚精致的骨质发簪揭开了罗马理发师的故事。一枚伪造的硬币揭示了数百万澳大利亚人的遗产。玻璃珠子揭露了跨大西洋奴隶贸易的残酷历史。陶土烟斗揭开了爱德华时代女跳伞运动员和维多利亚时代魔术师的生活。一块都铎王朝的碎布照亮了荷兰和法国宗教难民的故事。

本书还包括一本入门读物，逐步提供了如何在泰晤士河上寻宝，以及如何识别常见的发现的建议。