Eight Byzantine Shipwrecks from the Theodosian Harbour Excavations at Yenikapı in Istanbul,Turkey: an introduction

Excavations at Yenikap? in Istanbul, Turkey, related to the Marmaray Project, have unearthed remains of Constantinople's Theodosian Harbour, including 37 Byzantine shipwrecks of 5th‐ to 11th‐century date. Eight of these shipwrecks, six round ships and two of the first long ships, or galleys, to be excavated from the Byzantine period, were studied by archaeologists from the Institute of Nautical Archaeology. These well‐preserved shipwrecks are an important new source of information on the maritime commerce of Constantinople and the gradual shift from shell‐based to skeleton‐based shipbuilding in the Mediterranean during the second half of the first millennium AD.     

蓬莱四艘古船保护技术解析

山东省蓬莱市登州港（蓬莱水城）对出土4艘中外古船的保护,是中国出水（土）古船保护的重要工作之一,通过对1984年和2005年山东省蓬莱市登州港（蓬莱水城）先后发现元朝古船、明朝古船及2艘高丽古船保护技术及成果的探讨与分析,可以为我国古船以及木质文物保护技术提供一些经验或借鉴。     

The 2004 Deepwrecks Project: Analysis of World War II Era Shipwrecks in the Gulf of Mexico

In July and August 2004, C & C Technologies, Inc. of Lafayette, LA, USA partnered with scientists and film makers from across the United States and Canada to assess and document archaeological and biological aspects of six World War II shipwrecks in the Gulf of Mexico. The depth of the shipwrecks ranged from 285–6,444 ft (87–1,964 m) below sea level. All six shipwrecks were found during oil and gas related surveys. The United States Department of the Interior, Mineral Management Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Office of Ocean Exploration under the auspices of the National Oceanographic Partnership Program sponsored this multidisciplinary study.     

Wrap a Wreck! In Situ Conservation of a Ship on Land Suffering from Fungal Decay

Many sixteenth- to eighteenth-century shipwrecks have been found after land reclamation in parts of the former Zuiderzee, one of the busiest waterways in Dutch history. After the land fell dry, some shipwrecks were excavated, destroyed, reburied, or covered with sand or clay. In the late 1970s a method was developed to mitigate degradation processes of some of the wrecks remaining in good condition by wrapping them in plastic foil. The idea was that the plastic would prevent evaporation and lateral subsurface flow. Wet conditions prevent decomposing of wood by especially soft rot fungi. Oxygen will be rapidly depleted by decomposition of organic matter.

Recent monitoring of wrapped shipwrecks has shown that this method of preventing rot worked exceptionally well. We adapted wrapping using new technology nowadays applied for sealing tunnels and landfills. We will present the implementation requirements, materials and new adapted method for wrapping shipwrecks.     

THE CHARACTERIZATION OF WATERLOGGED ARCHAEOLOGICAL WOOD: THE THREE ROMAN SHIPS FOUND IN NAPLES (ITALY)*

Three apparently well‐preserved shipwrecks dating back to Roman times were brought to light near Piazza Municipio in Naples (Italy), during the excavation for the construction of Line 1 of the subway. The shipwrecks were covered by marine sand and silt, below the water table. In order to establish the nature and the extent of wood degradation and, therefore, determine how best to preserve the shipwrecks, a diagnostic investigation was carried out. The study involved the identification of wood species, chemical characterization of the residue component and physical and micro‐morphological characterization.     

Reviews

The cog of Bremen, SIEGFRIED FLIEDNER & ROSEMARIE POHL-WEBER
Archaeological research in the Zuider Zee G. D. VAN DER HEIDE
King Henry VIII's Mary Rose, ALEXANDER MCKEE
Francis Drake, Privateer, Contemporary Narratives and Documents
Cornish shipwrecks. Vol. 1: The south coast RKHARD LARN & CLIVE CARTER
Cornish shipwrecks. Vol. 2: The north coast, CLIVE CARTER
Cornish shipwrecks. Vol. 3: The Isles of Scilly, RICHARD LARN
Shipwrecks of North Wales, IVOR WYNNE-JONES
Australian shipwrecks, Vol. 1 : 1622-1850 CHARLES BATESON
The wreck of the Elizabeth, GRAEME HENDERSON
East coast sail: working sail 1850-1970, ROBERT SIMPER
South eastern sail: from the Medway to the Solent 1840-1940, MICHAEL BOUQIJET
Clinker boatbuilding, JOHN LEATHER
Sloops and brigs, JAMES HENDERSON
American figureheads and their carvers, PAULINE A. PINCKNEY
A history of the whale fisheries, J. T. JENKINS
II livello antico del Mar Tirreno, G. SCHMIEDT
Man across the sea, Problems of pre-Columbian contacts
Diving Science International. Proceedings of the Third Symposium of the Scientific Committee of CMAS, 8-9 October, 1973 N. C . FLEMMINC (Ed.)
First aid for finds: A practical guide for archaeologists DAVID LEIGH rt af.
Underwater archaeology : A nascent discipline, Museum and Monuments 13     

A Framework for Managing Diver Impacts on Historic Shipwrecks

Shipwrecks are becoming increasingly popular and, therefore important attractions for recreational scuba divers. Divers’ usage of these sites has the potential to create a range of adverse impacts on their cultural heritage values. Impacts associated with recreational scuba diving include boat anchor and mooring damage, impairment of site integrity and stability, the effects of intentional and unintentional contact with shipwrecks and artifacts, as well as divers’ exhaled air bubbles coming into contact with shipwrecks. While these consequences may not present a major threat in comparison to other human impacts, such as fishing activities, extractive industries or commercial salvage, their cumulative effect can be significant, particularly at sites where visitation levels are high. Unlike natural events such as storms, diver impacts can be controlled and managing these impacts is an important component of a heritage management strategy for any site. Heritage managers face the difficult challenge of, on the one hand, balancing divers’ access to important underwater cultural heritage sites, and on the other hand, protecting these sites. This paper outlines the causes and nature of potential recreational diver impacts on shipwrecks, briefly describing a range of management approaches that can mitigate such impacts, and presents a framework for the management of diver impacts on cultural heritage values of historic shipwrecks. The framework is designed to assist managers in deciding on appropriate management actions and priorities for particular sites.     

Survey Results from Lagos Bay,Portugal

The Projecto de Carta Arqueológica Subaquática do Concelho de Lagos (PCASCL) aimed to locate, identify and protect existing underwater cultural heritage within the district's coastal area. This project was based on a five‐phase methodology which included archival research, assessment, survey and conservation. PCASCL resulted in the discovery of five shipwrecks and several artefacts which were added to the Portuguese archaeological record. This also led to the development of a secondary project which focused on one of the five shipwrecks as well as proposals for an underwater archaeological park in Lagos.     

Fieldwork Methodology in South American Maritime Archaeology: A Critical Review

In archaeology, data obtained from the analysis of material evidence (i.e., the archaeological record) from extensive excavations have been a significant means for the ultimate development of interpretations about human life in the past. Therefore, the methodological procedures and tools employed during fieldwork are of crucial importance due to their effect on the information likely to be recovered. In the case of maritime archaeology, the development of rigorous methods and techniques allowed for reaching outcomes as solid as those from the work performed on land. These improvements constituted one of the principal supports—if not, the most important pillar—for its acceptance as a scientific field of study. Over time, the growing diversity of sites under study (e.g., shipwrecks, ports, dockyards, and prehistoric settlements) and the underwater environments encountered made it clear that there was a need for the application of specific methodological criteria, in accordance with the particularities of the sites and of each study (e.g., the research aims and the available resources). This article presents some ideas concerning the methodologies used in South American investigations that have exhibited a strong emphasis on the analysis of historical shipwrecks (the sixteenth to twentieth centuries). Based on a state-of-the-knowledge review of these research projects, in particular where excavations were conducted, the article focuses on the details of the main strategies adopted and results achieved. The ideas proposed in this article can be useful as a starting point for future activities of surveying, recording, and excavating shipwrecks.     

Shipwreck archaeology of the Lakshadweep Islands, west coast of India

Archaeological investigations in the Lakshadweep Islands have brought to light the presence of a large number of shipwrecks and the archival records have the details of some of these wrecks. Northern islands and reefs of Minicoy were the locations of shipwrecks prior to 1865, but the trend changed with the opening of the Suez Canal. Various organisations including the National Institute of Oceanography, Goa, have focused on Minicoy, Byramgore, Suheli Par, and Bangaram Island for detailed exploration of shipwrecks, and the findings suggest that due to submerged coral reefs, atolls, and other shallow hazards a large number of ships were wrecked in Lakshadweep waters.     

Painting and preserving the ship in the 17th and 18th centuries

Analysis of paint residues and paint equipment from North European shipwrecks together with archival research provides evidence of pigments and colours used. The limitations of pictorial sources and contemporary models is contrasted.     

Sulfur and iron analyses of marine archaeological wood in shipwrecks from the Baltic Sea and Scandinavian waters

Analyses of marine archaeological wood from shipwrecks in the Baltic Sea area, Kronan, Riksnyckeln, Tattran, the Puck Bay Boat and the Ghost wreck, and at the Scandinavian West coast, the Göta wreck, Stora Sofia and the Viking shipwrecks of Skuldelev, show accumulation of sulfur compounds. The penetration profiles of sulfur and iron into the wood and the speciation of characteristic sulfur groups were evaluated by combining X-ray spectroscopic analyses, in particular S K-edge XANES (X-ray absorption near edge structure) and X-ray fluorescence, with ESCA and elemental analyses. The combined analyses support the hypothesis that hydrogen sulfide produced by sulfate-reducing bacteria reacts and accumulates at low iron concentration mainly as organically bound sulfur, which as in previous studies was found by X-ray spectro-microscopy to accumulate in lignin-rich parts of the wood cell walls. The presence of iron(II) ions from corroding iron promotes formation of pyrite and other iron(II) sulfides, which easily oxidise in aerobic conditions with high humidity. No significant differences in sulfur and iron accumulation were found in wood from shipwrecks in the east coast brackish water and the west coast seawater. Sediments from three wreck sites, the Göta wreck, Stora Sofia and Kronan, were analyzed to a depth of a few decimeters and showed especially at the Stora Sofia high sulfur concentrations, exceeding 3 mass%. S K-edge XANES analyses of the sediments showed mainly reduced forms of sulfur, in particular pyrite and iron(II) sulfides together with elemental sulfur.     

The Bakau wreck: an early example of Chinese shipping in Southeast Asia

Very few early Chinese shipwrecks have been discovered in Southeast Asia, despite the enormous volume of trade with China. This article describes the surprising hull features of one such wreck, and its diverse ceramic cargo. The Bakau Wreck dates to the early 15th century, and was bound from southern China to Indonesia via a Thai entrepot port.     

宁波“小白礁I号”清代木质沉船中硫铁化合物脱除技术研究

近年来的分析与研究表明,海洋出水沉船的木材中普遍存在大量的以Fe S2和Fe S为代表的硫铁化合物难溶盐,它们在空气中和一定湿度条件下,会氧化生成硫酸,使木材纤维素发生快速降解,从而对木船造成毁灭性的破坏。目前,硫铁化合物的脱除仍然是世界性难题,很多国家发现的木质沉船都面临这方面的困扰。为此,本研究以宁波象山"小白礁I号"清代沉船遗址出水的船体木材构件为研究对象,研发了金属络合剂与氧化剂复配材料EDTAHO,开展了海洋出水木材中沉积的二硫化亚铁的去除技术初步研究,取得了良好的保护效果。本研究结果可为后续脱水定型和加固修复打下良好的基础,有利于海洋出水木质船体的长期保存。     

South American Palm Seeds (Orbignya sp.) in Dutch Shipwrecks

Abstract

In this note we report the discovery of some palm seeds (Orbignya sp.) from three shipwrecks in the Netherlands. They all date from the second half of the 17th century. Some palm seeds, published as Attalea funifera, were already known from the Dutch coast.     

Thorny burnet (Sarcopoterium spinosum L.) in a Roman shipwreck off the Israeli coast and the role of non-timber shrubs in ancient Mediterranean ships

Abstract

This paper describes and discusses twigs of the dwarf shrub thorny burnet (Sarcopoterium spinosum L.) found in association with submerged remains of a Roman (4th century AD) shipwreck discovered off the Israeli Carmel coast. The twigs were recovered from within a crumpled lead container, interpreted as part of a bilge pump. The find demonstrates again that, under certain favourable circumstances, fragile botanical material can be preserved on ancient shipwreck sites. Similar twigs found previously in association with shipwrecks have been identified as dunnage, i.e. packing material intended to protect the cargo. In this particular case they were apparently used as a bilge pump filter. Thorny burnet grows profusely in the Eastern Mediterranean, but elsewhere only in a few isolated coastal areas most of which are in the vicinity of ancient ports. The wider implications of the past use of non-timber shrubs onboard ships is discussed, in particular, how this may have promoted colonisation by plants of areas beyond their natural distribution, and also how botanical material recovered from shipwrecks may help identify ancient sailing routes and ports of call.     

Shipwrecks on Roncador Cay,the Caribbean Sea and Their Relationship with Hurricanes, 1492-1920

International Journal of Historical Archaeology - Previous studies suggest that tropical storms and hurricanes are among the leading causes of shipwrecks in the Caribbean Sea since 1492. This paper...     

A computer-based index of ancient shipwrecks

Some 660 shipwrecks earlier than AD 1500 have been reported from the Mediterranean and the Roman Provinces. Study of their location, cargoes, date, and other features has been made easier by a computer data file. The system has been specially written in COBOL for use on an ICL 4/75; input is from 80-column cards to magnetic tape, and output is normally in the form of printed lists. Despite limitations, the index has already proved a valuable aid to research.     

Shipwrecks and the Maritime Cultural Landscape of the Gulf of the Farallones

Journal of Maritime Archaeology - The waters of the Gulf of the Farallones are a diverse and expansive maritime cultural landscape that includes at least 400 historically documented shipwrecks....     

Historic storms and shipwrecks in Ireland: a preliminary survey of severe synoptic conditions as a causal factor in underwater archaeology

A number of authors have dealt with the historical reconstruction of synoptic conditions from shipping records during isolated incidents, notably naval events. The paper presents a broad survey of Irish shipwrecks that correlate with historic storms in an attempt to quantify the extent of these incidents, and relate the weather observations of the distressed vessels to those at meteorological stations, as well as those put forward by meteorologists reconstructing past conditions.