[Covenantor]

Here's a bit more background on ancient Greek trading vessels and those darn amphorae.

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kyrenia_ship

Ten different types of amphorae were discovered in the wreck called the Kyrenia ship. A good deal more about the ship and its intact cargo is available there.

They were able to salvage a large portion of the ship, sufficient in fact to build several replicas.

So it seems as the methods of securing the amphorae varied.

Now as to those found in Brazil...drunken space cadets on leave might not be so outlandish after all.

;>)

[Robert A Cook PE]

Well, those aren’t secured at all, so the possible grate system above might be a better solution.

[SunkenCiv]

You’ll notice there is *no* method of stowing — the surviving wood of the ship doesn’t include those boards they’re using in the display to keep the jars from tipping. That’s because there *were* no such boards. :’)

There was a pile of soft cargo, such as grain; even in Greek times the amount of grain imports from Egypt was remarkable. By the time Rome got going, the grain boats were so large — this is according to the late Lionel Casson — that only a few ports in the Med could even receive them. Rhodes was one, the Pireaus of Athens, and Rome itself could handle them for unloading, but their point of origin was the Nile.