In situ protection of underwater archaeological sites: protective cages

Podmorje istočnog Jadrana obiluje arheološkim nalazištima i olupinama iz svih povijesnih razdoblja, počevši od prapovijesti pa do novog vijeka. Međutim, bez obzira na postojanje zakona i pravilnika koji jasno definiraju tko i pod kojim uvjetima smije pristupiti podvodnoj kulturnoj baštini, kao i na propisane prekršajne odredbe za nedozvoljene radnje, brojna su podvodna arheološka nalazišta devastirana, a s njih je ilegalno odnesen vrijedan arheološki materijal. Kako su se postojeći pravilnici pokazali nedostatnom metodom zaštite, pristupilo se fizičkoj zaštiti in situ, koja se i prema UNESCO-voj Konvenciji o zaštiti podvodne kulturne baštine ističe kao prvi izbor. Metalni se kavezi u hrvatskom podmorju u ovu svrhu primjenjuju od 1990. godine, a do danas je na ovaj način zaštićeno osam arheoloških nalazišta: Za Planiku i Saplun u arhipelagu Lastovskog otočja, Koromašno na otoku Žirju, otok Supetar ispred Cavtata, Klačine na otoku Mljetu, Vlaška Mala na otoku Pagu, Sorinj na otoku Rabu i Buje u blizini Umaga. U radu će se dati pregled spomenutih nalazišta i metoda izrade samih kaveza koje su se tijekom godina značajno unaprijedile. Naglasak će biti na definiranju prednosti i nedostataka ovog načina zaštite, imajući na umu razinu ugroženosti pojedinih nalazišta s obzirom na njihovu lokaciju, problem održavanja kaveza te njihovu primjenu u turističke i promidžbene svrhe.The seabed of the eastern Adriatic is full of archaeological sites and shipwrecks from various periods, from prehistory to modern history. But even though there are laws and regulations that clearly define who may, and under what conditions, access underwater cultural heritage, as well as prescribed provisions for illegal activities, many underwater archaeological sites have been devastated, and valuable archaeological material has been stolen. In situ physical protection, the primary choice according to the UNESCO Convention on the Protection of Underwater Cultural Heritage, is now being used, since existing regulations have proved to be an insufficient method of protection. In Croatia, metal cages were first used in 1990, and so far eight archaeological sites have been protected: Za Planiku and Saplun in the Lastovo archipelago, Koromašno off the island of Žirje, the island of Supetar near Cavtat, Klačine off the island of Mljet, Vlaška Mala off the island of Pag, Sorinj off the island of Rab, and Buje near Umag. The earliest cages were solely intended to prevent access to archaeological finds, and were made out of construction nets that were attached to the seabed with concrete blocks. Despite the use of this type of protection, the Za Planiku site was again ravaged. Afterwards, the construction of cages was changed so that the load-bearing structure was constructed first, and it was then lined with specially-made nets of appropriate size. The paper will provide an overview of archaeological sites where protection cages have been used so far. The advantages and disadvantages of this method will be defined, bearing in mind the issue of cage maintenance, the threat to individual sites with regard to their location, and their use for tourism and promotional purposes. The reasons why cages will not be used for some newly-discovered ancient shipwrecks will also be explained

Medieval amphorae of the 13th and 14th century in the Eastern Adriatic

Prilikom rekognosciranja podmorja srednje Dalmacije 2006. pronađen je i registriran lokalitet kod otočića Merara s ostacima brodskog tereta amfora iz srednjovjekovnog razdoblja. Prema srodnim primjercima ugrađenim u crkve na području Peloponeza, taj tip amfora datira se u 13. ili 14. stoljeće, kada amfore kao spremnici za tekuću robu već izlaze iz upotrebe. U potrazi za srodnim primjercima na istočnom Jadranu pronađena je amfora gotovo istovjetne forme u zbirci franjevačkog samostana na otoku Krapnju. Tijekom rekognosciranja dubrovačkog podmorja pronađeno je još nekoliko ulomaka amfora istog tipa na pličini Lučnjak u blizini otoka Korčule. Ti nalazi potvrđuju upotrebu glinenih spremnika za prijevoz tekuće robe tijekom 13. i 14. stoljeća na relacijama duž istočnog Jadrana.Traditional forms of amphorae began to disappear from the Eastern Adriatic and the Black Sea in the 10th century, being replaced by new, medieval types. Volume of the container was reduced and standardized, the neck became visibly smaller, and the rim less pronounced. The handles became massive, elongated and protruded above the rim. Throughout the Middle Ages the production was in continual decline, until it completely disappeared in the 14th century. In the Western and Central Mediterranean it is almost impossible to trace the development of amphorae from as early as the 8th century. Nonetheless, several exceptions have been found in the Eastern Adriatic, along with similar examples from the Peloponnese and Southern Apulia, indicating that amphorae had not entirely vanished from the market and were still being used in certain areas and trade routes as late as the 13th and the 14th century. In the course of a 2006 archaeological survey in Central Dalmatia, of the islet of Marara, a larger concentration of amphorae fragments was discovered, at 8–10 m below sea level. Nearly all of these fragments belonged to a type of small-sized amphora with an elongated ovoid body and a small bulge at the bottom. Massive strap handles are placed high above the rim and the surface is covered with more or less pronounced horizontal ribs, characteristic of the clay containers in the medieval period. This form of amphora is almost impossible to find in the Eastern Adriatic. Nevertheless, a similar example was discovered in the collection of the Franciscan Monastery in the island of Krapanj. Only a small fragment of the bottom is missing from the amphora, which allowed an estimate to be made of the dimensions of the amphorae from Merara. They were 39–40 cm high and 18 cm wide in diameter. An unaccentuated rim is 5 cm wide in diameter, with handles slanting upwards and then sharply bending to the shoulders of the vessel. Since no exact data exist as to the location or the context in which the amphora from Krapanj was found, a possibility of it originating from a shipwreck of Merara should not be dismissed. In the chronological division of medieval Byzantine amphorae, Ch. Bakirtzis classifies this type as Type 7, the fnal type, after which the amphorae intended for trading and transportation ceased to be produced. Bakirtzis dates them to the 13th/14th, based on an analogy with amphorae that were discovered during a renovation of the Church of the Virgin Hodegetria (Aphendiko) in Mistra, not far from Sparta. It is possible to trace such amphorae across other sites in the Peloponnese, Corinth and on the Agios Stephanos site in the south of the peninsula, where they had been found together with coins and archaic majolica from Italian workshops and therefore dated to the first half of the 14th century. A similar amphora was found during a survey of the coastal area of se Apulia, on the site of Torre dell’Orso. Although medieval ceramics furnaces that were used for producing local, mostly Apulian types of amphorae, have been found in the area, an analysis of the clay of the amphora from Torre dell’Orso and a comparison with raw material from local clay deposits, indicated that the origin of its production should be looked for elsewhere. As the amphora is similar in appearance to those from Merara and the Peloponnese, and in terms of the composition of the clay to those from the Agios Stephanos site, there is a possibility that it was produced somewhere in the Peloponnese. Throughout the Peloponnese marly clay was used in the production of pottery. It is rich in limestone, with an addition of fnely crushed quartz sand and iron oxide. The raw material of the amphorae from Merara and Torre dell’Orso had nearly the same characteristics. That alone certainly does not establish the origin of their production, but offers guidelines for further research. Many amphorae from the Peloponnese were found in the context of Italian majolica of the 13th and 14th century, which testifies to an active trade exchange that existed between the Byzantine provinces and the south of Apulia. Neighbouring Dalmatia was part of this sea trade route, as evidenced by the amphorae from Merara and similar examples from the Shallows of Lučnjak. The Shallows of Lučnjak near the island of Korčula was examined in the 2011 survey of the underwater of Dubrovnik. Amongst a substantial amount of material dating from the Antiquity and Late Antiquity, three fragments of amphorae were discovered, similar to the type from Merara, along with a body of a larger pear-shaped amphora. Amphorae of this type can be traced along the coasts of the Black Sea and the Marble Sea and across almost the entire Mediterranean. The characteristic pear-shaped body with a narrow elongated neck and the handles placed high is densely furrowed with a comb-like object. The amphora is 63 cm tall, and the widest part is 30 cm wide in diameter. Based on the chronological division of Byzantine amphorae from the territory of Turkey, N. Günsenin classified them as Type 3 and dated them to the 12th and 13th century. Ch. Bakirtzis categorized them as Type 5 and dated them to the same period. The remaining fragments of medieval amphorae from the Shallows of Lučnjak match the form and characteristics of the amphorae from Merara. Within the same context, five clay recipients containing greyish sediment were also found. A similar type of flammable clay projectiles was used in the Byzantine Empire since the 8th century. Sediment analysis showed that the recipients contained a 91.31% calcium carbonate and further suggested that they were fled with quicklime. The use of flammable weapons in the form of hand projectiles had spread during the Early Middle Ages throughout the Mediterranean and certainly continued into the 12th and the 13th centuries. It is therefore possible that the recipients from the Shallows of Lučnjak, found in the context of amphorae dated to the 13th or 14th century, represent a variety of this medieval type of weaponry

Underwater Archaeological Research of the Desilo-Hutovo blato Site

Podvodna arheološka istraživanja lokaliteta Desilo – Hutovo blato u blizini Čapljine provedena su 2007. i 2008. godine. Sedamdesetih godina prošlog stoljeća na dnu jezera pronađena je veća količina ulomaka amfora. S obzirom na to da u BiH nema stručnog kadra koji se bavi podvodnom arheologijom, djelatnici Odjela za podvodnu arheologiju Hrvatskog restauratorskog zavoda preuzeli su podvodni dio istraživanja. Istraživanjima izvedenim u tri kampanje željelo se odgovoriti na pitanje kako je tako velika količina amfora tipa Lamboglia 2 završila na dnu jezera Desilo te je li na tome mjestu postojala trgovačka postaja, koja je u antičko doba bila povezana plovidbenom trgovačkom rutom rijekom Neretvom. Istraživanja su dala određene smjernice u prilog postojanja gospodarskog kompleksa na navedenom prostoru, gdje je osim proizvodnje vina možda postojala i proizvodnja amfora. Pronađeni nalazi također su dali podatke o nastanjenosti toga prostora i u prapovijesti, a najraniji nalazi sežu u rano brončano doba.Underwater archaeological explorations of the Desilo-Hutovo Blato site near Čapljina, BIH were conducted in 2007 and 2008. In the 1970ies, at the bottom of the lake, a large amount of amphorae fragments have been discov-ered. Due to Bosnia and Herzegovina’s lack of professional cadre in the field of underwater archaeology, employees of the Department for Underwater Archaeology of the Croatian Conservation Institute took over the underwater segment of the research. The explorations were carried out in three campaigns in order to answer the question of how could such a large quantity of Lamboglia 2-type amphorae have ended up at the bottom of the Desilo Lake, and did a trading post exist at this location, that was during Antiquity associated with the trade route along the Neretva River. The research provided certain indications of an economic facility existing in this area where, aside from wine production, amphorae may also have been produced. The finds also supplied information as to the inhabitation of the area even in prehistoric times, with earliest finds from as far back as the Early Bronze Age

A Byzantine Shipwreck from Cape Stoba, Mljet, Croatia: An interim report

The Cape Stoba shipwreck is located on the seabed off the island of Mljet in Croatia at a depth of 21-28 m. Following initial investigation in 1975, four seasons of excavation have been carried between 2010 and 2014 by the Department for Underwater Archaeology of the Croatian Conservation Institute, joined by the Department of Studi Umanistici of the Universita Ca' Foscari of Venice from 2012. The wreck-site is evidenced by a cargo of nine amphora types dated to the 10th-11th century AD, produced in the Eastern Mediterranean and Black Sea area, and glassware of Levantine production. The only direct evidence of the ship itself to date, is one iron anchor.Apstraktna Brodolom kod rta Stoba nalazi se u podmorju otoka Mljeta u Hrvatskoj na dubini od 21-28 metara. Nakon pronalaska brodoloma i prvih istraivanja u 1975. godini, provedene su etiri kampanje istraivanja u razdoblju od 2010. do 2014. godine od strane Odjela za podvodnu arheologiju Hrvatskog restauratorskog zavoda. Od 2012. godine u istraivanjima se pridruuju djelatniciDipartimento di Studi Umanistici, Sveuilita 'Ca' Foscari u Veneciji. Brodolom sadri ostatke trgovakog tereta s najmanje devet tipova amfora datiranih u 10./11. stoljee, proizvedenih na podruju istonog Mediterana i Crnoga mora te stakleno posude levantske proizvodnje. Pronadeno eljezno sidro do sada je jedini nalaz izravno vezan uz brod.Astratto Il relitto di Cape Stoba e localizzato sui fondali dell'isola di Mljet in Croazia ad una profondita di 21-28 m. In seguito ad una prima indagine, eseguita nel 1975, tra il 2010 e il 2014 il Dipartimento di Archeologia Subacquea del Croatian Conservation Institute, dal 2012, in collaborazione con il Dipartimento di Studi Umanistici dell'Universita Ca' Foscari di Venezia, ha condotto quattro campagne di scavo. Il relitto presenta un carico di nove tipi di anfore datate al 10-11 degrees secolo d.C., prodotte nel Mediterraneo Orientale e nell'area del Mar Nero, e vasi in vetro di produzione levantina. L'unica evidenza diretta della nave al momento e un'ancora in ferro

Airborne laser bathymetry for documentation of submerged archaeological sites in shallow water

Knowledge of underwater topography is essential to the understanding of the organisation and distribution of archaeological sites along and in water bodies. Special attention has to be paid to intertidal and inshore zones where, due to sea-level rise, coastlines have changed and many former coastal sites are now submerged in shallow water. Mapping the detailed inshore topography is therefore important to reconstruct former coastlines, identify sunken archaeological structures and locate potential former harbour sites. However, until recently archaeology has lacked suitable methods to provide the required topographical data of shallow underwater bodies. Our research shows that airborne topo-bathymetric laser scanner systems are able to measure surfaces above and below the water table over large areas in high detail using very short and narrow green laser pulses, even revealing sunken archaeological structures in shallow water. Using an airborne laser scanner operating at a wavelength in the green visible spectrum (532 nm) two case study areas in different environmental settings (Kolone, Croatia, with clear sea water; Lake Keutschach, Austria, with turbid water) were scanned. In both cases, a digital model of the underwater topography with a planimetric resolution of a few decimeters was measured. While in the clear waters of Kolone penetration depth was up to 11 meters, turbid Lake Keutschach allowed only to document the upper 1.6 meters of its underwater topography. Our results demonstrate the potential of this technique to map submerged archaeological structures over large areas in high detail providing the possibility for systematic, large scale archaeological investigation of this environment

Ancient shipwrecks with sarcophagi cargo in Dalmatia

Proteklih nekoliko desetljeća na Jadranu su pronađena samo tri brodoloma sa sarkofazima. Riječ je o lokalitetima ispred Velog Školja kod otoka Mljeta te o lokalitetu kod otoka Jakljana nedaleko od Dubrovnika. Treći, nedavno otkriveni lokalitet s teretom sarkofaga nalazi se kod Sutivana na otoku Braču.Different semi-fnished stone objects make up for one of the most important segments of the ancient maritime trade. Whenever possible, stone was transported by sea or inland waterway, so the Mediterranean holds a number of shipwrecks with the cargo of semi-finished stone objects. The cargo varies, but most commonly it contains architectural stone elements. There are more than fifty in the Mediterranean. Several shipwrecks with stone cargo were found in the Adriatic. Near cape Izmetište, pottery of Eastern Mediterranean origin was found next to nine stone blocks (one out of granite, eight out of limestone). The entire cargo is attributed to the Aegean region, dating back to the beginning of the second century. Near the island of Susak (cape Margarine) next to tegulae and imbrices, eleven cut pillars of white marble and a few semi-stone blocks were found. The classic form of tegula and imbrex generally date back to the first centuries after Christ. This is the greatest stone cargo on the eastern Adriatic coast, weighing more than thirty tons. Thus far we have found three similar sites with sarcophagus cargo on the Adriatic coast. These are the site in front of Great Škoj near the island of Mljet and near the island of Jakljan not far from Dubrovnik. The third one is the recently discovered site with sarcophagi cargo, located near Sutivan on the island of Brač. At the Great Škoj site, near the island of Mljet, about fifteen stone elements were found, including five stone oil containers or sarcophagi. According to the accompanying finds (Hispanic amphorae), the site dates back to the beginning of the second century. Since a few fragments of Eastern coarse ceramic ware were found, the cargo can be attributed to the Aegean origin. In 2003, near the island of Jakljan, at a depth of 37 meters, three sarcophagi with covers were found. The sarcophagi are simple, undecorated. The covers are made in the form of gable roof with corner acroteria. The two sarcophagi and the two covers are located, for the most part, above the bottom, while the third pair is almost entirely buried in sand. In November 2008 divers from the Underwater Research Club Mornar from Split made a dive west of Sutivan, on the basis of previous information provided by local divers from Supetar. On that occasion, several sarcophagi were spotted together with covers, some stone blocks and one stone container. In 2009 the Department of Underwater Archaeology of the Croatian Conservation Institute made a record of the site. Immediately after the first professional dive inspection, it was clear that this is indeed an ancient shipwreck with a cargo of sarcophagi and other stone semi products. The site is located at a depth of 32 meters and extends to approximately 40 m2, containing 21 stone objects arranged in two rows, the bottom part being almost completely in sand. Among the found objects there are two sarcophagi, two covers, one stone container with visible perforations, 15 stone blocks and a column of circular cross section. The site is dated to the second half of the second century

Underwater Archaeological Investigations in the Waters off the Vižula Peninsula in 2011

Podmorsko arheološko istraživanje 2011. g. na lokalitetu Vižula kod Medulina obavljeno je u dvije faze. Prva je realizirana u srpnju, a istraživani su objekti A i H, dok je u drugoj tijekom rujna, istraživan objekt D. Izvedeno je kao nastavak ranijih podmorskih arheoloških istraživanja poluotoka Vižule. Objekti A i H nalaze se na sjevernom dijelu poluotoka, dok se objekt D nalazi na južnom. S obzirom na to da istraživanja nisu završena možemo pretpostaviti da objekt A predstavlja terme, objekt H neku vrstu ceste, spoja kopna i poluotoka Vižule, dok je objekt D nepoznate namjene, ali ga možemo vezati uz veliku cisternu koja se nalazi u neposrednoj blizini.Underwater archaeological investigations in the waters off the Vižula peninsula near Medulin conducted in 2011 are the continuation of investigations initiated in 1995, when eight archaeological units were recorded and marked with letters from A to H. We are dealing here with an ancient complex, a luxurious maritime villa with not only luxurious facilities, but also production facilities and a port. Over the years, most of the facilities have been documented both as drawings and geodesic blueprints. In addition, several facilities have been investigated with the use of archaeological probes. The probes have yielded material which has been dated from the 1st to the 5th centuries AD. This year, investigations have been conducted on facilities A, D and H. Units A and D are located in a tidal zone and are thus those mostly exposed to devastation, sea waves and careless swimmers. Based on the architectural remains, we can suppose that facility A was probably a thermae complex, while we are certain that facility D was a cistern with several other rooms whose purpose still remains unknown. Investigations regarding facility H are in their initial phase, and we still do not have a clear picture of the unit’s use. This facility is located at a depth of 1.5 m, and for now we know that it is more than 120 m long extending in a straight line. This construction could possibly have been a road running from the Vižula peninsula to the mainland, but it could also have been a sort of a dam which prevented the penetration of the sea towards a natural isthmus and the gravesite of Burle. In any case, further investigations will continue, and it has been decided that other professions should be included with the aim of obtaining a complete picture of the ancient complex on the Vižula peninsula through interdisciplinary investigations

Brodolom u uvali Parzine na otoku iloviku

International audienc

Fine tableware and clay lamps from the seabed of Ortopla

U ovom su radu izneseni rezultati istraživanja i analiza na finom stolnom posuđu i svjetiljkama s podmorskog arheološkog istraživanja Ortople. Lokalitet se nalazio u rimskoj provinciji Dalmaciji, a danas je u blizini Jablanca, a naziva se Stinica. Iako ovo antičko naselje spominju brojni izvori, Ortopla nikada nije bila predmet sustavnih niti zaštitnih arheoloških istraživanja. Prvo zaštitno istraživanje izveo je 2009. godine Hrvatski restauratorski zavod, Odjel za podvodnu arheologiju. Iz sondi je izvađen raznoliki arheološki materijal koji se može pripisati antičkom periodu, a najveću skupinu sačinjava upravo stolno posuđe: pronađena je italska sigilata, južnogalska sigilata, istočna sigilata B i afrička sigilata. Od keramike tankih stijenki pronađeni su primjerci koji se mogu pripisati radionicama u Italiji. Pronađena su i tri tipa rimskih svjetiljki: Loeschcke I/ Iványi I, Loeschcke IX/ Iványi XVI i Loeschcke X/ Iványi XVII, svaki od njih predstavlja tipičan oblik raširen diljem Carstva.This paper presents the results of the analysis of fine tableware and lamps from the underwater archaeological excavation at Ortopla. The site was part of the Roman province of Dalmatia, near Jablanac today, and is called Stinica. Even though this Antiquity settlement is mentioned by numerous sources, Ortopla has never been the subject of research led or development led excavations. The first rescue excavation was carried out in 2009 by the Croatian Conservation Institute, Department for Underwater Archaeology, under the direction of Igor Miholjek. The excavation area produced various archaeological finds that can be dated to the Antiquity period, and most of the assemblage consists of tableware: Arretine ware, South Gaulish samian ware, Eastern Sigillata B, and African Red Slip ware. Fragments of thin-walled ware were also found, and they can be attributed to Italian workshops. Three types of Roman lamps were also excavated: Loeschcke I/ Iványi I, Loeschcke IX/ Iványi XVI and Loeschcke X/ Iványi XVII, each of them representing a typical form widely spread throughout the Empire