Magnetic detection of ship ballast deposits and anchorage sites in King Herod's Roman harbour,Caesarea Maritima,Israel

Ballast stone deposits are a common feature of sediments in ancient harbour basins but are often overlooked as a potential source of archaeological information. Recent geophysical investigations at Caesarea Maritima in Israel have discovered a thick, laterally extensive ballast layer in the area seaward of the 1st c. BC Roman harbour. The ballast deposits were identified by low-relief mounds on the seabed with elevated magnetic intensities. Jet probing and excavation of magnetic anomalies at several locations revealed a 20–60 cm thick rubble layer containing large quantities of Late Roman and Byzantine pottery, local sedimentary boulders (kurkar sandstone, limestone cobbles) and foreign igneous and metamorphic boulders (granite, schist, volcanics; ca. 50%). The foreign boulders and pottery identify the rubble layer as ballast and ships refuse jettisoned by merchant ships outside the harbour. The strong magnetic contrast between the ballast deposits and the natural seabed sediments is attributed to the high magnetic susceptibility (>10⁻³ SI) of crystalline boulders and pottery materials within the ballast rubble.     

Three-hole composite stone anchors from a medieval context at Caesarea Maritima,Israel

Three-holed stone anchors have been considered the earliest ‘composite anchors’, replacing single-hole ‘weight anchors’ of the Bronze Age. Though there is inconclusive evidence as to the first appearance of this new, revolutionary type, the data from land sites attest its use by the end of the 13th century BCE. Specimens of this anchor have been used as a testimony for Iron Age maritime activity of the Phoenicians and related maritime groups at various sites. While three-holed stone anchors were found in clear medieval contexts, only a few originate from good datable contexts. Recent discoveries derive from both the well-stratified medieval urban settlement of Caesarea, and late deposits on its harbour floor. They include the period between 1101 and 1265, when Crusaders settled in the city. This data calls for a revision of our attitude towards ‘anchorology’ and a reassessment of earlier conclusions concerning typology as a cultural and chronological benchmark.     

Marine Magnetic Survey of a Submerged Roman Harbour, Caesarea Maritima, Israel

A marine geophysical survey was conducted at Caesarea Maritima, Israel, to map the buried structure of King Herod's Roman harbour. Magnetic surveys reveal the presence of an extensive hydraulic concrete foundation below the ruined harbour moles. The magnetic anomaly patterns indicate that the concrete foundation was laid out in header fashion along N-S and W-E trending segments to form two large 'artificial islands'. Magnetic lows within the structure identify baffles that were infilled with sand to stabilise the concrete foundation walls.
© 2004 The Nautical Archaeology Society     

Trade or Trash: an examination of the archaeobotanical remains from the Byzantine harbour at Caesarea Maritima,Israel

A rich collection of waterlogged plant‐remains was recovered from the harbour at Caesarea Maritima, Israel. These remains were identified and represent several varieties of fruit, nut, cereal crop, crop by‐product and weed species. The two areas where remains were recovered provided assemblages that were different in composition. Trade or trash are the two interpretations discussed. In either case, however, the information derived from the assemblage is of archaeological importance, as the species present can aid in economic, dietary and trade reconstructions. © 2010 The Author     

The Roman Marble Sculptures from the Sanctuary of Pan at Caesarea Philippi/ Panias (Israel)

In 2016 Yosef Garfinkel suggested that J.L. Starkey, Director of the Lachish excavations, was murdered in 1938 by men sent by landowners of the mound due to an extended dispute between them and Starkey on payments for permission to dig on the summit of the mound. The present paper presents additional data which support the view that Starkey was murdered by bandits who came from the Hebron area.     

Trauma in the Crusader period city of Caesarea: a major port in the medieval eastern Mediterranean

Caesarea is the first fortified city to undergo palaeopathological analysis of its Crusader period inhabitants. This study of the 12th and 13th century population aims to determine the major types of trauma present, whether from weapon injuries or accidents. Since the Crusades were known for the significant number of battles and raids that took place, weapon injuries were expected to be common. Thirteen cases of trauma are described and a highly unexpected pattern has come to light. These cases do not include one single example of weapon‐related trauma. Every fracture is of a type expected from accidents or interpersonal violence without weapons. Possible explanations include the location of the city deep within Frankish territory and the robust city walls giving effective protection to the inhabitants, and also that the population were involved in activities that left them prone to accidents but not weapon injuries. The other important finding from this study was that the cases of lower limb long bone spiral fractures had healed in a near‐anatomical alignment. This is not what we would expect, as a proportion of these injuries would normally have been unstable and tend to heal poorly aligned. The good position could have resulted from surgeons' use of splints to immobilise the bones while they healed. This suggestion is supported by laws of the kingdom of Jerusalem, which stated that surgeons were to be punished if they allowed such fractures to heal at an angle. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The Post Arab Spring Reform: The Maghreb at a Cross Roads

The Arab Spring, which was launched in Tunisia, took the Arab Middle East by storm. Its results, to varying degrees, have been felt in every country in the region. In the Maghreb, three scenarios have been unfolding. Tunisia has seen the greatest changes with the country maneuvering its transition to democracy. Algeria — whose aims have not necessarily been a genuine transition to democracy, but to keep the status quo — has continued its process of reforms that started almost three decades ago. In Morocco, the leadership has used the Arab Spring to initiate a series of incremental reforms to further open up the political space, in a more controlled fashion.     

The wellsprings of candidate emergence: Geographic origins of statewide candidacies in the United States

Candidates and nominees for statewide office in the United States do not emerge from random locations within states. In this paper, we argue that densely populated areas are more likely to both foster political ambition and to afford the resources that enable candidates to wage an effective campaign. Candidates and nominees for major statewide office originate from populous counties in numbers significantly out of proportion to these counties’ share of their state’s population. Meanwhile, aspirants virtually never emerge out of rural areas or small towns. The pattern holds for all candidates and nominees for both Senate and governor and for both major political parties. Regional biases are more pronounced for institutionally strong gubernatorial offices than for weak offices and among high quality nominees for statewide office than among inexperienced candidates. Given the importance of urban/rural cleavages in the American electorate, these findings raise fundamental questions about political representation.     

Gender and candidate selection in a weakly institutionalised party system: the case of Samoa

Women’s political representation has historically been low in Samoa, as in much of the Pacific region. Candidate selection is viewed as a crucial factor in women’s under-representation globally. This article contends that the lack of formalised party selection processes sets Samoa apart from most other countries studied as part of the literature on gender and candidate selection. Yet, as this article shows, pre-selection processes exist at the village level, where a weak level of institutionalisation in the party system gives an inordinate amount of influence to local male gatekeepers. These processes are gendered, but can advantage female candidates that successfully navigate them. The extent to which these pre-election processes affect results depends largely on informal norms of group consensus within communities. This article looks at these processes in the context of the 2016 Samoan election, the first since a constitutional amendment mandating a minimum level of women’s representation in Parliament.