Ancient boat shows Jewish maritime life.

JERUSALEM - A boat that plied the coast of the Holy Land 1,300 years ago carrying fish, carobs and olives is helping researchers better understand a little-known period in the region's history.

The boat, discovered in a coastal lagoon near the northern city of Haifa, dates from the early 8th century, not long after the rise of Islam and the Arab conquest of the Middle East. The find suggests that a long tradition of sea trade was not disrupted by the arrival of new rulers from the Arabian desert.

"Always wondered if the ancient Jews had boat shows."

Why yes, yes they did. They were in what was to be Miami and Boca.

There were luxury craft with wall to wall carpeting, a kosher kitchen, extra large closets and the first phones and TV with cable yet already.

The food was to die for. Fresh pastrami, matzoh ball soup, kreplach and noodle kugel. You bass fishermen should be so lucky as to have such a boat.

Of course ancient Jews had boat shows. What they didn't have was a Borscht Belt in which young comics could ply their trade. Therefore they took their boats to Egypt, playing before big houses at Alexandria and Luxor, the precursors to Boca and Miami, the Concord, Grossingers, etc.

They were so funny that they really slayed their audiences - oops, sorry, that was Passover. Right place, wrong time.

Also, during the time of the Jewish uprisings against Roman, led by the Maccabees, their battle cry was not "hoorah" like our troops of today, but it was "Seinfeld, Seinfeld", a cheer that struck terror in the hearts of the enemy. Other Jewish units yelled "Kramer, Kramer" and "Castanza, Castanza", which threw the Roman elephants into a panicked retreat, thus winning the day for Memorah and candle makers.

So you see, yes, we Jews had boats, and the rest is history (Carnivale Lines, the QE II, etc).

Shipwreck from the Early Islamic Period discovered off Israeli coast

Newswise — An 8th century shipwreck was discovered off Dor Beach and excavated by researchers from the Leon Recanati Institute for Maritime Studies of the University of Haifa. It is believed to be the only boat from this period discovered in the entire Mediterranean region. "We do not have any other historical or archaeological evidence of the economic activity and commerce of this period at Dor.

The shipwreck will serve as a source of information about the social and economic activities in this area," said Dr. Ya'acov Kahanov from the Leon Recanati Institute for Maritime Studies and the Department Of Maritime Civilizations at the University of Haifa.

The wreck itself was found almost a decade ago during a joint survey of the area conducted by an expedition of the Institute for Maritime Archaeology from the University of Texas A & M and the Recanati Institute for Maritime Studies at the University of Haifa. Using carbon dating techniques, the wreck was dated as from the early 8th century. Only now, after the completion of the latest excavation season, are the details of the1,300 year old shipwreck becoming clearer.

The small boat, 15 meters long and 5 meters wide, was involved in local commerce and sailed along the Lavant coast between the ports on the Mediterranean Sea. It was found in a lagoon off Dor Beach, 0.75 meters beneath the surface of the water. Dr. Kahanov explained that this ship is a rare find given the amount of wood that has remained intact and in a good state of preservation. In addition to the wooden hull of the boat, many of the boat's contents have also been preserved. Among them are 30 vessels of pottery of different sizes and designs containing fish bones, ropes, mats, a bone needle, a wooden spoon, wood carvings and food remains, mainly carobs and olives.

Dr. Kahanov stressed the importance of this find owing to the fact that there are so few archaeological finds from the ancient Islamic Period in this area.

"you should be so lucky as to have such a boat"

Only the compass, it's so, so, conflicted. Always getting us lost, I said didn't you ever think to stop and ask for directions? But I'm only your mother, you never listen to me.

And then there's my son, the yacht owner: so one day he puts on a captain's hat and says, "Look, Mom, I'm a captain!" And I say to him, "Son, by you you're a captain. By me you're a captain. But by captains, believe me, you're no captain!"

He's been in analysis ever since. And the boat? Please, don't ask about the boat. A fifty foot long hole in the water, lined with wood, into which he still pours all his money, whatever the psychiatrist doesn't collect.

If Moses ever had such a boat; his mother, she'd sue!

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