Maritime Studies in the Wake of the Byzantine Shipwreck at Yassıada, Turkey

Foreword by George F. Bass. Excavated in the 1960s under the direction of George F. Bass and Frederick van Doorninck, the seventh century Yassıada shipwreck oft the coast of Turkey marked a milestone in the development of underwater mapping and documentation methods, many of which are still in use today. Yassıada was the first shipwreck with significant hull remains to be fully excavated, and subsequent study and analysis of the ship have helped to illuminate one of the most complex and little-understood periods in ancient history. In 2007, a symposium was held at Texas A&M University to celebrate the twenty-fifth anniversary of Texas A&M University Press’s publication of the first volume of the Yassıada excavation report. Seventeen papers from that symposium, representing the work of scholars from six different countries, were selected for this publication. These studies broadly illustrate such varied topics as ships and seafaring life, maritime trade, naval texts, commercial cargoes, and recent developments in the analysis of the Yassiada ship itself. They explore novel interpretations of old material, new methods of interrogating historical sources, and new theories about our understanding of trade, economy, technology, and cultural diversity in the waning Roman Empire. The relevance and legacy of the excavation and publication of the Yassiada shipwreck is clear not only in the attention that it continues to receive, but also in the generations of scholars whose work has been shaped or influenced by this well-known excavation. Foreword / George F. Bass xi Introduction xv Abbreviations xix Part I. The Material Culture of Maritime Economies 1. Amphora Standardization and Economic Activity / Elizabeth S. Greene and Mark L. Lawall 3 2. The Restudy of the LR2 Amphoras from the Seventh-Century Yassıada Shipwreck: Preliminary Evidence for Standardization / Peter G. van Alfen 17 3. The Metrology of the Piriform Amphoras from the Eleventh-Century Byzantine Ship at Serçe Limanı: New Designs but an Old System / Frederick H. van Doorninck Jr. 35 4. Plant Remains from the Old Wine Jars on the Byzantine Ship at Yassıada / Cheryl A. Ward 55 5. The Contribution of the Yassıada Shipwreck Excavation to the Knowledge of Life Aboard Ancient Ships / Carlo Beltrame 63 Part II. Roman, Byzantine, and Medieval Ships and Harbors 6. The Madrague de Giens Project in the Wake of the Excavation of the Byzantine Shipwreck at Yassıada / Patrice Pomey 73 7. From the Excavation of the Yassıada Wreck, Turkey (1961–1964), to the Excavation of the Port Berteau II Wreck, France (1992–1997) / Eric Rieth 82 8. Reconstructing the Pantano Longarini Ship / Sarah M. Kampbell 91 9. The Shipwrecks at Yenikapı: Recent Research in Byzantine Shipbuilding / Cemal Pulak, Rebecca Ingram, and Michael Jones 102 10. The Thirteenth-Century Genoese Pamphilus: Similar to the Yassıada Vessel? / Furio Ciciliot (Translated by Lilia Campana) 116 Part III. Maritime Contacts in the Roman, Byzantine, and Medieval Mediterranean 11. The Levanzo I Wreck and the Transfer of Technology by Sea in the Late Roman Mediterranean / Jeffrey G. Royal 127 12. The Late Antique Coastal Settlement of Aperlae on the Lycian Coast / Robert L. Hohlfelder 146 13. Early Byzantine Cyprus: A View from the Sea / Justin Leidwanger 157 14. Underwater Archaeology and History: The Case of Serçe Limanı / Vasilios Christides 167 15. A Medieval Mediterranean Maritime Revolution: Crusading by Sea ca. 1096–1204 / John H. Pryor 174 16. Wrecks and Texts: A Judeo-Arabic Case Study / Roxani Margariti 189 Part IV. Final Thoughts 17. The Seventh-Century Byzantine Ship at Yassıada and Her Final Voyage: Present Thoughts / Frederick H. van Doorninck Jr. 205 Bibliography 217 Contributors 241 Index 243 The material culture of maritime economies -- Amphora standardization and economic activity / Elizabeth S. Greene and Mark L. Lawall -- The restudy of the LR2 amphoras from the seventh-century Yassıada shipwreck: preliminary evidence for standardization / Peter G. van Alfen -- The metrology of the Piriform amphoras from the eleventh-century Byzantine ship at Serçe Limanı: new designs but an old system / Frederick H. van Doorninck Jr. -- Plant remains from the old wine jars on the Byzantine ship at Yassıada / Cheryl A. Ward -- The contribution of the Yassiada shipwreck excavation to the knowledge of life aboard ancient ships / Carlo Beltrame -- Roman, Byzantine, and medieval ships and harbors -- The Madrague de Giens Project in the wake of the excavation of the Byzantine shipwreck at Yassıada / Patrice Pomey -- From the excavation of the Yassıada wreck, Turkey (1961-64) to the excavation of the Port Berteau II wreck, France (1992-97) / Eric Rieth -- Reconstructing the Pantano Longarini ship / Sarah M. Kampbell -- The shipwrecks at Yenikapı: recent research in Byzantine shipbuilding / Cemal Pulak, Rebecca Ingram, and Michael Jones -- The thirteenth-century Genoese Pamphilus: similar to the Yassıada vessel? / Furio Ciciliot -- Maritime contacts in the Roman, Byzantine, and medieval Mediterranean -- The Levanzo I wreck and the transfer of technology by sea in the late Roman Mediterranean / Jeffrey G. Royal -- The late antique coastal settlement of Aperlae on the Lycian coast / Robert L. Hohlfelder -- Early Byzantine Cyprus: a view from the sea / Justin Leidwanger -- Underwater archaeology and history: the case of Serçe Limanı / Vasilios Christides -- A medieval Mediterranean revolution: crusading by sea ca. 1096-1204 / John H. Pryor -- Wrecks and texts: a Judeo-Arabic case study / Roxani Margariti -- Some final thoughts -- The seventh-century Byzantine ship at Yassıada and her final voyage: present thoughts / Frederick H. van Doorninck Jr "In 2007 a symposium was held at Texas A&M University to celebrate the twenty-fifth anniversary of Texas A&M University Press's publication of the first volume reporting the Yassiada shipwreck site. Seventeen papers from that symposium featured in this book broadly illustrate such varied topics as ships and seafaring life, maritime trade, naval texts, commercial cargoes, and recent developments in the analysis of the Yassiada ship itself."-- Publisher's website In 2007 a symposium was held at Texas A & M University to celebrate the twenty-fifth anniversary of Texas A & M University Press's publication of the first volume reporting the Yassiada shipwreck site. Seventeen papers from that symposium featured in this book broadly illustrate such varied topics as ships and seafaring life, maritime trade, naval texts, commercial cargoes, and recent developments in the analysis of the Yassiada ship itself