The Kyrenia ship, a Greek merchantman built around 315 BC and sunk off the north coast of Cyprus 294-291 BC, was excavated between 1967 and 1972 under the direction of Michael Katzev. The importance of this ship lies in the extraordinary state of preservation of the hull, allowing great insights into ancient shipbuilding, and in the cargo it was carrying. Its hold was full of Rhodian transport amphoras and its cabin pottery was also mostly made on Rhodes, which was probably its home port. Its trade route ran between Rhodes, Cyprus, the Levant, and possibly Egypt. This first of a planned multi-volume publication includes a detailed history of the excavation of the ship, as well as the most important objects for determining the date of its sinking. These include the primary cargo, transport amphorae, with four different types from Rhodes; fewer examples from Samos and the Cyclades (Paros), and possibly northern Greece, Cyprus and the Levant. The Rhodian amphora stamps date the shipwreck to between 294 and 291 BC. The second most-helpful dating material comprises vessels and utensils (cups and saucers, cooking pots and grills, serving bowls and spoons, water jars and pitchers) used by the crew. For most categories, four examples were found, suggesting a crew of four. Scientific analyses show that the majority were again made in Rhodes. Seven bronze coins were recovered, five of which were minted in the name of Alexander the Great and one in the name of Ptolemy I in Cyprus. Together, these objects document not only the date of the sinking but also give evidence of the probable Rhodian home port and trade route of the Kyrenia ship’s final voyage.

• Cover
• Title
• Copyright
• Contents
• List of figures
• List of tables
• Contributors
• Preface: Susan Womer Katzev
• 1 Introduction
  • 1.1 Introduction
  • 1.2 Dedication to Michael and Susan Katzev from excavation members
  • 1.3 Thanks to Laina
  • 1.4 In thanks to all who helped
• 2 The excavation
  • 2.1 How it began
  • 2.2 Kyrenia shipwreck remote sensing analysis
  • 2.3 Kyrenia Ship data
    • 2.3a. Labeling excavation objects
    • 2.3b. Data explanation: creating the Amphora Plans
    • 2.3c. The Kyrenia Ship Application (KSA)
  • 2.4 Evidence for Octopodia activity on the wreck site
• 3 The amphoras
  • 3.1 The transport amphoras
  • 3.2 Observations on amphora distribution
  • 3.3 Analysis of resins from the Kyrenia Ship
  • 3.4 Tales from taphonomic amphoras: marine biofouling as interpretive ecological tool on wreck site formation
  • 3.5 Wreck site formation process: the use of bryozoans
• 4 Goods of the crew
  • 4.1 The goods of the crew
  • 4.2 Graffiti on the ship’s ceramics
  • 4.3 Wood identifications of objects in Volume I
  • 4.4 Plotting shipboard life: observations from the find spots of objects related to life on board the Kyrenia Ship
• 5 Ceramic analyses
  • 5.1 Neutron activation analysis of ceramic samples from the Kyrenia Ship
  • 5.2 Petrographic analysis of the ceramics from the Kyrenia Ship
  • 5.3 Organic residue analysis of pottery recovered from the Kyrenia Ship
  • 5.4 GC-MS analysis of contaminated Kyrenia Ship ceramic samples
  • 5.5 Organic residue analysis of ceramic vessels from the Kyrenia Ship: searching for past contents
• 6 Coins
  • 6.1 The coins
• 7 Conclusions
  • 7.1 Summary closing wrap-up: what’s to come in Volumes II and III
• Glossary