The Hull Remains of the Late Hellenistic Shipwreck At
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
THE HULL REMAINS OF THE LATE HELLENISTIC SHIPWRECK AT KIZILBURUN, TURKEY A Thesis by JOHNNY DWAYNE LITTLEFIELD Submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies of Texas A&M University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS Approved by: Chair of Committee, Deborah N. Carlson Committee Members, Cemal M. Pulak Christoph F. Konrad Head of Department Cynthia Werner December 2012 Major Subject: Anthropology Copyright 2012 Johnny Dwayne Littlefield ABSTRACT At least 64 shipwrecked stone transports have been discovered throughout the Mediterranean region dating primarily to the Roman period. Few have been excavated and even fewer have had more than scant hull remains recovered. None have been thoroughly examined with a focus on the construction of the vessel. Consequently, little is known about stone transport or the construction of stone transport ships from archaeological contexts or ancient historical sources. In 1993, on an Institute of Nautical Archaeology (INA) shipwreck survey along the western Turkish coast, the Kızılburun column wreck was discovered. At present, excavated ceramics suggest the date of the Kızılburun shipwreck lies in the first century B.C.E.; the Late Hellenistic period (323-31 BCE). Analyses of the marble consignment have revealed that the ship carried a primary cargo of architectural elements quarried on the island of Proconnesus. Subsequent investigations point to a likely destination of the ancient city of Claros on the Karian coast of Asia Minor (modern day Turkey). Between 2005 and 2011 excavations were carried out on the column wreck by an international team of archaeologists, INA staff members, and graduate students led by Donny Hamilton and Deborah Carlson, both of Texas A&M University. The 2005 excavation season produced the first, albeit scant, hull remains, with more timbers being recovered between 2006 and 2009. The most substantial hull remains were recovered in 2007 following the removal of the eight large marble column drums to a more remote part of the site. The intense weight and pressure exerted by the heavy cargo on the hull remains aided the preservation by creating an environment that was unfavorable for wood consuming organisms and other biological agents. Recording and detailed examination of the hull remains was conducted during the summer of 2008, fall of 2009, and fall of 2010. This thesis presents the analyses and interpretation of the Kızılburun ship’s wooden hull remains and copper fasteners. Additionally, after ii discussing the methods of recording and cataloging of the ship’s extant remains, I place the ship in its historical and technological contexts, demonstrating that it was of contemporaneously common dimensions and construction, as opposed to a more robust construction that is often assumed of ancient stone-carrying vessels. iii DEDICATION In the summer of 1988, my sister, Angie Littlefield, died after a life-long paralysis and associated health problems. During her life, Angie was perpetually happy and smiling despite her debilitating situation. Her death forced me to examine my own life and recognize that we are never guaranteed a tomorrow, never guaranteed even one additional minute. This realization eventually led to my departure from a long-term unsatisfying career to chase a dream of becoming an archaeologist and eventually a nautical archaeologist. The realization of this dream has been the only redeeming factor gleaned from her death. I dedicate this research to my sister, Angie, who is a constant source of inspiration to me and those who knew her. She is loved and remembered. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This thesis has been four years in the making! Over the course of this time, many people have contributed to the work in many differing manners. My gratitude and respect to each cannot be properly expressed. In the fall of 2007 I enrolled in the Nautical Archaeology Program at Texas A&M University after much help and advice from Dr. Deborah Carlson. In the summer of 2008, Dr. Carlson offered the opportunity to catalog the wood remains from the Kızılburun shipwreck, as there was a break in the ongoing excavations. At the end of the summer I was offered the opportunity to use the material as the basis for this thesis and in 2009 I joined the final season of excavation at Kızılburun. I am forever grateful to Dr. Carlson for these and more opportunities, for keeping me from straying too far from a completion schedule, and for her support and confidence in my work. Sincere gratitude is put forward to Dr. Cemal Pulak who has offered advice and support from the beginning of the project and helped me to understand many of the perplexing questions that the sparse wood remains have presented. Numerous casual conversations occurred while sitting on the sofa in the Old World Lab that have benefitted my understanding of not only ship construction, but the methods and behavior of ancient shipwrights, as well as academia in general. Gratitude is also offered to Dr. Christoph Konrad for having, and maintaining, an interest in nautically-based research and serving as a reader of this work. In the course of this work I have benefited immensely from discussions with Dr. Fred van Doorninck, Dr. Wendy van Duivenvoorde, Sheila Matthews, Orkan Köyağasıoğlu as well as fellow Texas A&M University students Michael Jones, Rebeccah Ingram, Bradley Krueger, Ryan C. Lee and Kimberly Rash Kenyon. I sincerely thank all of these people and many others who have not only answered questions, but who have challenged my logic, albeit at times, not so logical. v Several people and organizations offered financial and moral support that was essential to the retention of my sanity at times. Special thanks to Dr. Deborah Carlson and Dr. Donny Hamilton for both, for without their support, not only would this work have not been possible, but daily living would have been a formative challenge. Immense appreciation is due the Anthropology Department office staff. Cindy Hurt and Rebekah Luza handled, with their usual expertise, financial logistics, course registration, and a plethora of other problems from half way around the globe while I conducted work in Bodrum, Turkey. I gratefully recognize the opportunities and financial support afforded me by the Institute of Nautical Archaeology (INA), with distinct appreciation being offered to the staff of the INA’s Bodrum Research Center (BRC), whom helped tremendously with problems presented to a student living in a foreign land with limited language skills. Often they made jokes about my linguistic handicap, but eventually I began to understand more and more Turkish with their patience. I was the proverbial fish out of water in so many ways. Their help and support cannot be overstated. Special recognition must also be given to illustrators Mustafa Korkmaz and Seçıl Kayacık for their contributions. Finally, the advice, friendship and support of BRC Director and hayat arkadaşım Tûba Ekmekçi can never be expressed adequately. Both she and Talya has shown incredible patience as I worked late nights and weekends while they quietly (mostly) waited for me to reach a point where I didn’t feel guilty for leaving the wood laboratory, office, or library and return home. Thank you both. You are my “Canımlar.” I am certain that I overlooked many important and substantial contributors to this work and for this I apologize to both those overlooked, and to the reader who may never realize the many contributions afforded by the people we surround ourselves with daily, but also of the many individuals encountered in brief meetings, conferences, and conversations. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS Page ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................. ii DEDICATION ........................................................................................................... iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .................................................................................... v TABLE OF CONTENTS ........................................................................................ vii LIST OF TABLES ...................................................................................................... ix LIST OF FIGURES ................................................................................................... x CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION ......................................................................... 1 Discovery and Dating of the Shipwreck ......................... 3 2005 Season ......................................................................... 7 2006 Season ......................................................................... 9 2007 Season ......................................................................... 10 2008 Season ......................................................................... 11 2009 Season ......................................................................... 12 2010 Season ......................................................................... 13 Objectives ............................................................................. 14 II. METHODOLOGIES .................................................................... 17 Site Description ................................................................... 17 State of Wood Preservation .............................................. 20 Excavation and Mapping Methodology .......................... 21 Laboratory Recording Methodology ................................. 23 Conclusion ...........................................................................