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.
Table of Contents
List of figures and tables
Preface
Susan Womer Katzev
1. Introduction
1.1. Introduction
Susan Womer Katzev
1.2. Dedication to Michael and Susan W. Katzev from excavation members
Helena (Laina) Wylde Swiny with contributions from David I. Owen, Robert K. “Chip” Vincent, Stephen J. Scheifele, Owen Gander, and Robin C. M. Piercy
1.3. Thanks to Laina
Susan Womer Katzev
1.4. In thanks to all who helped
Susan Womer Katzev with Helena (Laina) Wylde Swiny and Robin C. M. Piercy
2. The excavation
2.1. How it began
Michael L. Katzev† [assembled by Susan Womer Katzev and Mary C. Sturgeon]
2.2. Kyrenia shipwreck remote sensing analysis
Jeremy N. Green
2.3. Kyrenia Ship data
2.3a. Labeling excavation objects
Helena (Laina) Wylde Swiny and Susan Womer Katzev
2.3b. Data explanation: creating the amphora plans
Helena (Laina) Wylde Swiny and Susan Womer Katzev
2.3c. The Kyrenia Ship Application
Thomas Myette
2.4. Evidence for Octopodia activity on the wreck site
Helena (Laina) Wylde Swiny and Susan Womer Katzev
3. Amphoras
3.1. The transport amphoras
Mark Lawall
3.2. Observations on amphora distribution
Helena (Laina) Wylde Swiny and Susan Womer Katzev
3.3. Analysis of resins from the Kyrenia Ship
Curt Beck† and Dorreen J. Ossenkop
3.4. Tales from taphonomic amphoras: marine biofouling as interpretive ecological tool on wreck-site formation
Carlos Jimenez, Katerina Achilleos, Antonis Petrou, and Louis Hadjioannou
3.5. Wreck site formation process: the wse of bryozoans
Katerina Achilleos, Carlos Jimenez, and Antonis Petrou
4. Goods of the crew
4.1. The goods of the crew
Andrea M. Berlin
4.2. Graffiti on the ship’s ceramics
Helena (Laina) Wylde Swiny, Susan Womer Katzev, Alan Johnston, Christopher Rollston, and Jo Ann Hackett
4.3. Wood identifications of objects in Volume I
Nili Liphschitz†
4.4. Plotting shipboard life: observations from the find spots of objects related to life on board the Kyrenia Ship
Helena (Laina) Wylde Swiny and Susan Womer Katzev
5. Ceramic analyses
5.1. Neutron Activation Analysis of ceramic samples from the Kyrenia Ship
Michael D. Glascock and Leslie G. Cecil
5.2. Petrographic analysis of the ceramics from the Kyrenia Ship
Yuval Goren
5.3. Organic residue analysis of pottery recovered from the Kyrenia Ship
Joseph A. Palatinus with Ruth F. Beeston
5.4. GC-MS analysis of contaminated Kyrenia Ship ceramic samples
Vic Garner† and Holley Martlew
5.5. Organic residue analysis of ceramic vessels from the Kyrenia Ship: searching for past contents
Lisa Briggs and Léa Drieu
6. Coins
6.1. The coins
Paul W. Keen
7. Conclusions
7.1. Summary closing wrap-up: what’s to come in Volumes II and III
Susan Womer Katzev
Glossary
