Posted on 02/02/2006 3:53:32 PM PST by NormsRevenge
A photomosaic strip of a section of the Chios shipwreck. Most of the visible remains are ceramic storage jugs, called "amphoras," most of which carried wine. credit: WHOI, Hellenic Ministry of Culture, Hellenic Center for Marine Research
Fish swim by and a sponge grows among amphora from a 4th century B.C. Greek merchant shipwreck found off Chios in the Aegean Sea. credit: WHOI, Hellenic Ministry of Culture, Ephorate of Underwater Antiquities, and Hellenic Center for Marine Research
Any idea how the jugs with the pointed bottoms worked? Did they have wicker holders?
Greek-American Scientific collaboration
Chios July 2005
Survey of Classical Greek shipwreck, carried out by the Ephorate of Underwater Activities, HCMR and WHOI
http://www.hcmr.gr/english_site/news/latest/hot_topics/index.php
Chios shipwreck ping
GGG ping
Please FREEPMAIL me if you want on or off the
"Gods, Graves, Glyphs" PING list or GGG weekly digest
-- Archaeology/Anthropology/Ancient Cultures/Artifacts/Antiquities, etc.
Gods, Graves, Glyphs (alpha order)
Absolutely amazing!
The Argonaut Epos and Bronze Age Economic History
Economics Department, City College of New York | Revised May 14, 1999 | Morris Silver
Posted on 08/25/2004 10:30:51 PM PDT by SunkenCiv
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1199756/posts
Sailing the Wine-Dark Sea: International Trade and the Late Bronze Age Aegean
George Washington University | 1994 | Eric H. Cline
Posted on 08/28/2004 4:49:39 PM PDT by SunkenCiv
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1201978/posts
The Antikythera Mechanism: Physical and Intellectual Salvage from the 1st Century B.C.
USNA Eleventh Naval History Symposium | 1995 | Rob S. Rice
Posted on 08/14/2004 3:01:21 PM PDT by SunkenCiv
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1191651/posts
Deepest Wreck
Archaeological Institute of America | March/April 2001 | Brett A. Phaneuf, Thomas K. Dettweiler, and Thomas Bethge
Posted on 10/17/2004 8:40:36 PM PDT by SunkenCiv
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/1248376/posts
The Porticello Wreck: A 5th Century B.C. Merchantman in Italy
Institute of Nautical Archaeology | on web, January 2003 | Cynthia Jones Eiseman
Posted on 10/17/2004 8:31:49 PM PDT by SunkenCiv
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/1248367/posts
Vast and Deadly Fleets May Yield Secrets at Last
New York Times | April 20, 2004 | William J. Broad
Posted on 07/25/2004 6:26:36 PM PDT by SunkenCiv
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1178420/posts
The jugs with pointed bottoms were for bulk shipping. They were set upright into racks on board ship or tied together at the neck and slung across a donkeys back.
Once at the merchant's shop it would be poured out in smaller quantities for end sale.
Sorta like the 55 gallon drum of the eastern Mediterranean.
I have some coins from a Greek shipwreck of about the same vintage. They are not in great shape but they are still neat to have nonetheless.
Wow, great find.
This is really fascinating!
bookmark
Too absolutely cool!
Makes sense. Shipping containers would have to be tied down somehow, so if they had holed planks already installed on cargo ships they would save handling and time. The pointed jugs could also be tied together in freestanding masses of three or more that would be perfectly stable.
The pointed jars were used for wine transportation. Since the Aegean sea is extremely rough, they pointed the bases so that they could easily be staked in sand, which would help prevent the jars from breaking during transportation.
That's some seriously aged wine!
Sand also for ballast, which the hulls might need anyway.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.