Details
The Kyrenia Ship, a Greek merchantman built around 315 BC, which sank off the north coast of Cyprus was excavated between 1968 and 1972 under the direction of Michael L. Katzev of the University of Pennsylvania and Oberlin College. The importance of this ship lies in the exceptionally well-preserved hull that provided new insights into ancient shipbuilding, as well as the cargo it carried. The hold was stacked with transport amphoras of various types made on Rhodes, with a few examples from Samos, Kos, Knidos and Cyprus (?), supplemented by a consignment of millstones, iron billets and almonds.
The cabin pottery from Rhodes also suggests this was the vessel’s home port, a conclusion supported by most of the scientific ceramic analyses. Its trade route included Rhodes, Cyprus and the Levant with perhaps Egypt as a final destination.
This volume provides a detailed history of the excavation followed by definitive studies of the amphora cargo and the pottery associated with shipboard life. Some of the amphora stamps suggest that the ship sank between 294 and 291 BC, dates corroborated by the cabin wares. The repetition of four drinking cups (kantharoi), oil containers (gutti), wine measures (olpai), as well as bowls and saucers, suggests that the ship was sailed by a crew of four. Seven bronze coins were recovered, five minted in the name of Alexander the Great and one well-known type of Ptolemy I produced only on Cyprus.
The cabin pottery from Rhodes also suggests this was the vessel’s home port, a conclusion supported by most of the scientific ceramic analyses. Its trade route included Rhodes, Cyprus and the Levant with perhaps Egypt as a final destination.
This volume provides a detailed history of the excavation followed by definitive studies of the amphora cargo and the pottery associated with shipboard life. Some of the amphora stamps suggest that the ship sank between 294 and 291 BC, dates corroborated by the cabin wares. The repetition of four drinking cups (kantharoi), oil containers (gutti), wine measures (olpai), as well as bowls and saucers, suggests that the ship was sailed by a crew of four. Seven bronze coins were recovered, five minted in the name of Alexander the Great and one well-known type of Ptolemy I produced only on Cyprus.
Table of Contents
List of figures and tables
Preface
Susan Womer Katzev
1. Introduction
1.1. IntroductionSusan Womer Katzev1.2. Dedication to Michael and Susan W. Katzev from excavation membersHelena (Laina) Wylde Swiny with contributions from David I. Owen, Robert K. “Chip” Vincent, Stephen J. Scheifele, Owen Gander, and Robin C. M. Piercy1.3. Thanks to LainaSusan Womer Katzev1.4. In thanks to all who helpedSusan Womer Katzev with Helena (Laina) Wylde Swiny and Robin C. M. Piercy
2. The excavation
2.1. How it beganMichael L. Katzev† [assembled by Susan Womer Katzev and Mary C. Sturgeon]2.2. Kyrenia shipwreck remote sensing analysisJeremy N. Green2.3. Kyrenia Ship data2.3a. Labeling excavation objectsHelena (Laina) Wylde Swiny and Susan Womer Katzev2.3b. Data explanation: creating the amphora plansHelena (Laina) Wylde Swiny and Susan Womer Katzev2.3c. The Kyrenia Ship ApplicationThomas Myette2.4. Evidence for Octopodia activity on the wreck siteHelena (Laina) Wylde Swiny and Susan Womer Katzev
3. Amphoras
3.1. The transport amphorasMark Lawall3.2. Observations on amphora distributionHelena (Laina) Wylde Swiny and Susan Womer Katzev3.3. Analysis of resins from the Kyrenia ShipCurt Beck† and Dorreen J. Ossenkop3.4. Tales from taphonomic amphoras: marine biofouling as interpretive ecological tool on wreck-site formationCarlos Jimenez, Katerina Achilleos, Antonis Petrou, and Louis Hadjioannou3.5. Wreck site formation process: the wse of bryozoansKaterina Achilleos, Carlos Jimenez, and Antonis Petrou
4. Goods of the crew
4.1. The goods of the crewAndrea M. Berlin4.2. Graffiti on the ship’s ceramicsHelena (Laina) Wylde Swiny, Susan Womer Katzev, Alan Johnston, Christopher Rollston, and Jo Ann Hackett4.3. Wood identifications of objects in Volume INili Liphschitz†4.4. Plotting shipboard life: observations from the find spots of objects related to life on board the Kyrenia ShipHelena (Laina) Wylde Swiny and Susan Womer Katzev
5. Ceramic analyses
5.1. Neutron Activation Analysis of ceramic samples from the Kyrenia ShipMichael D. Glascock and Leslie G. Cecil5.2. Petrographic analysis of the ceramics from the Kyrenia ShipYuval Goren5.3. Organic residue analysis of pottery recovered from the Kyrenia ShipJoseph A. Palatinus with Ruth F. Beeston5.4. GC-MS analysis of contaminated Kyrenia Ship ceramic samplesVic Garner† and Holley Martlew5.5. Organic residue analysis of ceramic vessels from the Kyrenia Ship: searching for past contentsLisa Briggs and Léa Drieu
6. Coins
6.1. The coinsPaul W. Keen
7. Conclusions
7.1. Summary closing wrap-up: what’s to come in Volumes II and IIISusan Womer Katzev
Glossary
