Maritime Archeology

Maritime archaeology has three important differences from land archaeology. First structures and artefacts, even organic materials, are sometimes better preserved under water or in bottom sediments especially in freshwater anaerobic environments. A second difference lies in the fact that until recently, submerged sites such as shipwrecks were usually beyond the reach of human intervention or Marine Salvage , thereby preventing looters from destroying the site. A third difference comes from the fact that shipwrecks (and sites submerged by seismic catastrophes) represent a moment in time rather than a slow deposition of material accumulated over a period of years. This fact has lead to shipwrecks being described as time capsules.

There are those in the archaeology community who see maritime archaeology as a segregrated discipline with its own concerns (such as shipwrecks) and requiring the specialised skills of the Underwater Archaeologist . Others value an integrated approach, stressing that nautical activity has economic and social links to communities on land.

SUBMERGED SITES

Pre-historic landscapes

Maritime archaeology studies Prehistoric al objects and sites that are, because of changes in Climate and Geology , now underwater.

Bodies of water, fresh and saline, have been important sources of food for people for as long as we have existed. It should be no surprise that ancient villages weree located at the water's edge. Since the last Ice Age sea level has risen as much as 250 feet (approximately 75 meters).

Therefore, a great deal of the record of human activity throughout the Ice Age is now to be found under water.

The flooding of the area now known as the Black Sea (when a land bridge, where the Bosporus is now, collapsed under the pressure of rising water in the Mediterranean Sea ) submerged a great deal of human activity that had been gathered round what had been an enormous, fresh-water lake.

Significant Cave Art sites off the coast of western Europe are now reachable only by diving, because the cave entrances are underwater, though the Caves themselves are not flooded.

Historic sites

Throughout history, Seismic events have at times caused submergence of human settlements. The remains of such catastrophes exist all over the world, and sites such as Alexandria and Port Royal now form important archaeological sites. As with shipwrecks, archaeological research can follow multiple themes, including evidence of the final catastrophe, the structures and landscape prior to the catastrophe and the culture and economy of which it formed a part. Unlike the wrecking of a ship, the destruction of a town by a seismic event can take place over many years and there may be evidence for several phases of damage, sometimes with rebuilding in between.

COASTAL AND FORESHORE

Not all maritime sites are underwater. There are many structures at the margin of land and water that provide evidence of the human societies of the past. Some are deliberately created for access - such as bridges and walkways. Other structures remain from exploitation of resources, such as dams and fish traps. Nautical remains include early harbours, and places where ships were built or repaired. At the end of their life, ships were often beached. Valuable or easily accessed timber has often been salvaged leaving just a few frames and bottom planking.

Archaeological sites can also be found on the foreshore today that would have been on dry land when they were constructed. An example of such a site is Seahenge , a bronze age timber circle.

SHIPWRECKS

The archaeology of break up, how does a ship sink to the bottom, and how do the remains of the ship, cargo and the surrounding environment evolve over time? The second tier studies the ship as a machine, both in itself and in a military or economic system. The third tier consists of the archaeology of maritime cultures, in which nautical technology, Naval Warfare , trade and shipboard societies are studied.

Bronze Age

The earliest boats discovered date from the bronze age and are constructed of sewn planks. Vessels have been discovered where they have been preserved in sediments. Examples include Ferriby and the Dover Boat . These may be an evolution from boats made of sewn hides, but it is highly unlikely that hide boats could have survived.

Ships wrecked in the sea have probably not survived, although remains of cargo (particularly bronze material) have been discovered. A close collecion of artefacts on the sea bed may imply that artefacts were from a ship, even if there are no remains of the actual vessel.

MARITIME ARCHAEOLOGY BY REGION

Mediterranean area

In the Mediterranean area, maritime archaeology mainly deals with the innumerable retrievals of ancient ages, especially regarding the Roman Fleet s. The many discoveries in the sea and in some lakes (notably in Nemi , Italy , where Caligula 's ships were found) were really helpful in explaining some passages of the history of Romans , Phoenicia ns and Etruscans , and allowed to track respective presences in the related areas.

Italy is indeed one of the most important areas for these studies, with particular reference to Roman and Etruscan naval activities. Also because of the extremely high rate of expected wrecks (Romans calculated that at least 30% of cargo would have been lost by storms or pirate assaults), the traffic was proportionally (or perhaps more) increased, and many goods were found (ordinarily contained in s, like in ancient Venice . In the same area, the submerged town of Puteoli ( Pozzuoli , close to Naples ) contains the "portus Julius" created by Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa in 37 BC , later sunk due to Bradyseism .

The Antikythera Mechanism , which appears to be an ancient clockwork astronomical computer, was discovered in a shipwreck off the Greek island of Antikythera.

But other areas too have no less interest, like the waters around Israel , where Herod The Great 's port at Caesarea Palaestina was found. Other finds are consistent with some passages of the Bible (like the so-called Jesus boat, which appears to be similar to those in use during the first century AD).

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