Baruch Rosen
Biographic Data
| ID | 3987274 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Baruch Rosen |
| GIVEN NAMES | Baruch |
| FAMILY NAME | Rosen |
| SIGNATURE | ROSEN B |
| AFFILIATIONS | Israel Antiquities Authority |
| ORCID | 0000-0003-2350-1441 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 44 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 149 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 44 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 1986 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2025 |
| H-INDEX | 7 |
The disappearance of Capparis spinosa (the cultivated caper) from the southern Levant
Artifacts Associated with the Chemical Arts in the Early Islamic Period in Ramla, Israel
Archaeological excavations in Ramla, Jund Filastin capital during the early Islamic period, discovered in a zone of artisans and workshops, a unique complex of built and dug installations. It included barely known and understood components of a proto-chemical toolkit. The finds included an abundance of small, decorated bottles previously identified as perfume containers. Additional small finds of a proto-chemistry toolkit included e.g., bronze pi…
Archaeological and Historical Evidence Reveal New Insights on the Maritime Cultural Landscape of the Sea of Galilee
Low water levels of the Sea of Galilee (Lake Kinneret) in recent decades due to droughts and anthropogenic factors have exposed large portions of the lakebed. Archaeological surveys of the newly exposed areas yielded prehistoric sites, harbours, anchorages, shipwrecks, cargoes and shoreline installations, attesting to changing maritime activity on the lake through time. The different assemblages are presented and discussed within the context of t…
Ostriches and people in archaeological contexts in the southern Levant and beyond
This article considers the archaeology, based mainly on eggs, of the extinct ratite (flightless birds, infraclass Palaeognathae) Struthio camelus syriacus (henceforth referred to as ‘ostrich’). Ostrich eggs were used as canteens, vessels, or raw material to produce prestige objects or ornaments. Starting with eggs discovered in a Middle Bronze Age cemetery in Tel Aviv, the production technology, symbolism and meaning, as well as assumed motivatio…
Vinegar in the Wine Cellar
The well-organized food distribution to the military practiced at the fort of Arad ca. 600 BCE is analysed based on the Arad Ostraca, specifically Ostracon 2, which is concerned with food rations and management of stored wine. Wine quality was assured by inspection ordered by the commander of the fort and executed by the quartermaster. Vinegar played a significant role in the distribution associated with wine. As wine went bad in storage and turn…
Cannabis and Frankincense at the Judahite Shrine of Arad
Two limestone monoliths, interpreted as altars, were found in the Judahite shrine at Tel Arad. Unidentified dark material preserved on their upper surfaces was submitted for organic residue analysis at two unrelated laboratories that used similar established extraction methods. On the smaller altar, residues of cannabinoids such as Δ9-teterahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabidiol (CBD) and cannabinol (CBN) were detected, along with an assortment of te…
Royal Purple Industry in Lod during the Late Roman Period as Reflected in the Lod Mosaic
A mosaic discovered in luxurious Roman domus in Lod (Lydda, Diospolis) in Israel, depicted among other maritime creatures Royal Purple yielding mollusks and wicker traps used to catch them. Historical sources indicating that during Late Antiquity residents of Lod dealt in dyeing and exporting textiles (also Royal Purple) were reexamined. Clearly many city inhabitants were involved with textiles, and some of them had their hands permanently dyed. …
The Marine Scene in the Lod Mosaics
The Lod mosaic, discovered in the city bearing that name in Israel, was laid in a luxurious villa urbana in the late 3rd or early 4th century AD. It contains inter alia a nautical scene presented as a floor carpet in the form of a pond. The scene includes sea life and two ships. One is sailing freely while the other, facing the opposite direction, is becalmed and perhaps in distress. The scene, in that place and time, symbolized the penetration i…
A cargo of lead ingots from a shipwreck off Ashkelon, Israel 11th–13th centuries AD
Shipwreck cargo of lead ingots, some marked, discovered off Tel Ashkelon, weighed about four tonnes. C14 analysis of charred wood from an ingot dated it to the 11th–13th centuries AD, Crusader times. Lead isotopic ratios provenanced the ingots to Mont‐Lozère, France. Various aspects of the lead trade are discussed, including: lead sources, extraction, casting, lead in the international maritime trade, weight units in medieval trade, prices, trans…
Tethering of Tamed and Domesticated Carnivores in Mosaics from the Roman and Byzantine Periods in the Southern Levant
Tamed and domesticated carnivores such as dogs, cheetahs and mongooses participated as search and chase aids to human hunting in different societies, during most of history, as attested by anthropological, literary or graphic sources. In order to impose human will on the animals, different tethering devices were developed, such as leashes, collars and harnesses. These devices significantly differ from others related to labour e.g. for hauling, ri…
The Social and Economic Complexity of Ancient Jerusalem as Seen Through Choices in Lighting Oils
This paper presents and discusses the results of residue analysis conducted on 78 ceramic lamps found in archaeological excavations in ancient Jerusalem, in an attempt to identify the types of oils used and the reasons for their preferential choice. The oil lamps chosen for the study were taken from a variety of contexts, which represent the different periods during which Jerusalem was settled and the different sectors of the city. The results of…
Thermodynamics of a brazier cooking system modeled to mimic the lead brazier of a Roman ship
Artillery and rigging artefacts from the Megadim wreck-site, Israel
A late 16th- to early 17th-century European shipwreck carrying Venetian ordnance discovered off the Carmel coast, Israel
In 1972, a commercial fisherman, R. Schomos, discovered a bronze gun attached to a wooden gun carriage (Piece A) while diving off Megadim on the Carmel coast (Fig. 1). He informed A. Raban and J. Galili, members of the Underwater Exploration Society of Israel, who documented the gun and its carriage under water (Raban, 1980). However, the assemblage was simultaneously discovered by others, and salvaged unscientifically, thus losing much of the ca…
Archeometallurgical and technical characterization of 7th century AD iron fishing-spear and fire basket found in the Dor lagoon, Israel
Marble Disc Ophthalmoi from Two Shipwrecks off the I sraeli Coast
Cargoes of Iron Semi‐Products Recovered from Shipwrecks off the C armel Coast, I srael
Underwater surveys along the I sraeli C armel coast have revealed six cargoes of iron semi‐products associated with shipwrecks. They are described and dated according to the associated artefacts. Metallographic and chemical analyses on samples from the biggest cargo have determined the stages of the chaîne opératoire , identified the properties of the iron and characterized the iron trade along the I sraeli coast. The new discoveries contribute t…
A Needle Assemblage from a Roman Shipwreck off the Israeli Coast
Underwater excavation of a shipwreck-site off Hof Carmel, south of Haifa, Israel, yielded numerous artefacts associated with a ship and cargo dated to the 3rd century AD. Among them were eight sewing needles: six of bronze, one of copper and one of brass. This article describes the needles including their chemical composition, discusses comparable finds from nautical and domestic contexts, and their possible uses and roles aboard a Roman ship
Ancient Fishing Gear and Associated Artifacts from Underwater Explorations in Israel - A Comparative Study
Underwater archaeological explorations along the Israeli coast have revealed fish remains, fishing gear, and auxiliary implements. These were recovered from submerged prehistoric villages, anchorages, harbors, fishing grounds, and shipwreck sites. Prehistoric fishing techniques included free-diving fishing and fishing by nets and hooks. A set of fishing gear recovered from a Roman shipwreck off the Carmel coast included netting tools, fishing hoo…
A 15th-Century Wreck of an Ordnance-Carrying Ship from Atlit North Bay, Israel
In 1977, a shipwreck assemblage was discovered off Atlit, Israel. Finds included three iron anchors, a large bombard, four swivel guns, stone and lead shot, and bronze helmets. The bronze bombard (2210 kg, 3.247 m long) contained a wooden wad and remnants of what may have been gunpowder. The swivel guns (each 185 kg) were bronze, with swivels and the tillers of iron. Twenty (or 21) bronze helmets were recovered. The findings provide rare evidence…
A Roman Nautical Lead Brazier
A Late Bronze Age Shipwreck with a Metal Cargo from Hishuley Carmel, Israel
A 13th-century-BC shipwreck site, Hishuley Carmel, is described and discussed. It provides direct evidence for marine transport of copper and tin along the Israeli coast and may indicate inland and maritime trade-routes of metals in the Mediterranean. The shipwreck represents a supply-system providing the demand for bronze in the Levant. Trace-elements and lead-isotope analysis suggest that the copper came from Cyprus, similarly to bun and oxhide…
The Roman Lighthouse at Akko, Israel
During Roman rule Akko, in Israel, was a major Levantine seaport. Historical, numismatic and archaeological evidence shows that often Roman maritime-associated activities, in the Levant and elsewhere, included the building or maintenance of lighthouses. No clear indications of a Roman lighthouse in Akko are known. Re-examination of navigational considerations, coastal archaeological surveys, underwater investigations and numismatic evidence suppo…
The Evolution of Akko Harbor and its Mediterranean Maritime Trade Links
Archaeological investigations carried out in Akko Harbor from 1992 to 2004 are described and discussed, providing information on its long history. During the Bronze Age, Iron Age, and Persian periods, maritime activity in Akko relied on a natural anchorage. Sediments and artifacts suggest that the harbor was first constructed during the Hellenistic period and flourished since then. In the Byzantine period, the southern breakwater was in ruins and…
Thorny burnet ( Sarcopoterium spinosum L.) in a Roman shipwreck off the Israeli coast and the role of non-timber shrubs in ancient Mediterranean ships
This paper describes and discusses twigs of the dwarf shrub thorny burnet (Sarcopoterium spinosum L.) found in association with submerged remains of a Roman (4th century AD) shipwreck discovered off the Israeli Carmel coast. The twigs were recovered from within a crumpled lead container, interpreted as part of a bilge pump. The find demonstrates again that, under certain favourable circumstances, fragile botanical material can be preserved on anc…
The function of "desert kites" - hunting or livestock husbandry
Recently it was suggested that "desert kites" - man-made structures built, almost certainly, for hunting - were also used for the husbandry of semi-domesticated animals. The following response will examine this new notion and its suitability for interpreting the possible functioning of these archaeological structures. For both biological and anthropological reasons we do not accept the new explanation for the function of the "desert kites
The Emergence and Dispersion of the Eastern Mediterranean Fishing Village
In this paper, we propose a model which predicts the timing, location and form of early eastern Mediterranean fishing villages. A submerged late 9th-7th millennium BP settlement off the Carmel coast of Israel is described and presented as a case study to consider the initial development of Mediterranean fishing villages which would have been based upon a combined agro-pastoral-marine economy. The unique development of water-well technology enable…
Evidence for a Separate Burial Ground at the Submerged Pottery Neolithic Site of Neve-Yam, Israel
Des fouilles de sauvetage et des observations de terrain à Neve-Yam, un village de la culture Wadi Rabah (Néolithique céramique, 2nde moitié du VIIIe millénaire cal. BP), submergé de la côte du Carmel, ont révélé des tombes en pierre aux caractéristiques particulières. Elles étaient concentrées dans un secteur spécifique du site, voué aux rituels funéraires. Il n’y avait pas d’habitations dans cette partie destinée aux inhumations, et aucune tomb…
A Late Bronze Age Shipwreck with a Metal Cargo from Hishuley Carmel, Israel
A 13th-century-BC shipwreck site, Hishuley Carmel, is described and discussed. It provides direct evidence for marine transport of copper and tin along the Israeli coast and may indicate inland and maritime trade-routes of metals in the Mediterranean. The shipwreck represents a supply-system providing the demand for bronze in the Levant. Trace-elements and lead-isotope analysis suggest that the copper came from Cyprus, similarly to bun and oxhide…
Lead Use on Roman Ships and its Environmental Effects
Underwater surveys along the Israeli coast have yielded numerous lead artefacts recovered from Roman shipwrecks, found due to sand shortage caused by nature and man. Unique site-formation processes resulted in intact and preserved assemblages of lead artefacts unaffected by prior salvage. These included hull sheathing, anchors, fishing gear, cooking equipment and containers. Most lead was in objects intended only for nautical use. The finds indic…
Fishing-gear sinkers recovered from an underwater wreckage site, off the Carmel coast, Israel
A classification scheme for the large number of fishing-gear sinkers recovered along the Israeli coast is devised. Sinkers, or weights, of lead and stone are classified by material, shape and method of manufacture
Fishing Gear from a 7th-Century Shipwreck off Dor, Israel
The ancient anchorage of Dor, Israel, contains wreck-sites from several periods. Underwater exploration of one Byzantine wreck discovered the remains of a medium-size boat constructed with iron nails. Coin-finds dated it to c.665 AD, after the Muslim conquest. The wreck was probably caused by natural agents, but an event in the Byzantine-Muslim conflict can not be discounted. The artefacts include a group of objects testifying to the practice of …
Cannabis and Frankincense at the Judahite Shrine of Arad
Two limestone monoliths, interpreted as altars, were found in the Judahite shrine at Tel Arad. Unidentified dark material preserved on their upper surfaces was submitted for organic residue analysis at two unrelated laboratories that used similar established extraction methods. On the smaller altar, residues of cannabinoids such as Δ9-teterahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabidiol (CBD) and cannabinol (CBN) were detected, along with an assortment of te…
Ancient Fishing Gear and Associated Artifacts from Underwater Explorations in Israel - A Comparative Study
Underwater archaeological explorations along the Israeli coast have revealed fish remains, fishing gear, and auxiliary implements. These were recovered from submerged prehistoric villages, anchorages, harbors, fishing grounds, and shipwreck sites. Prehistoric fishing techniques included free-diving fishing and fishing by nets and hooks. A set of fishing gear recovered from a Roman shipwreck off the Carmel coast included netting tools, fishing hoo…
The Evolution of Akko Harbor and its Mediterranean Maritime Trade Links
Archaeological investigations carried out in Akko Harbor from 1992 to 2004 are described and discussed, providing information on its long history. During the Bronze Age, Iron Age, and Persian periods, maritime activity in Akko relied on a natural anchorage. Sediments and artifacts suggest that the harbor was first constructed during the Hellenistic period and flourished since then. In the Byzantine period, the southern breakwater was in ruins and…
The Social and Economic Complexity of Ancient Jerusalem as Seen Through Choices in Lighting Oils
This paper presents and discusses the results of residue analysis conducted on 78 ceramic lamps found in archaeological excavations in ancient Jerusalem, in an attempt to identify the types of oils used and the reasons for their preferential choice. The oil lamps chosen for the study were taken from a variety of contexts, which represent the different periods during which Jerusalem was settled and the different sectors of the city. The results of…
A Hellenistic/Early Roman Shipwreck Assemblage off Ashkelon, Israel
Underwater surveys at Ashkelon during 1998 exposed a Hellenistic/Roman shipwreck. The ship, c.15–25 m long, sank in the 1st or 2nd century BC, and its remains include iron anchors, lead sheathing, copper nails, assorted metal artefacts, and shipwright's unused nails. Bronze vessels found—oil-lamp, shovel and ladles—could have functioned in cult rites. Weights and balance-scale parts demonstrate commercial activity. Fishing-net sinkers indicate in…
Cargoes of Iron Semi‐Products Recovered from Shipwrecks off the C armel Coast, I srael
Underwater surveys along the I sraeli C armel coast have revealed six cargoes of iron semi‐products associated with shipwrecks. They are described and dated according to the associated artefacts. Metallographic and chemical analyses on samples from the biggest cargo have determined the stages of the chaîne opératoire , identified the properties of the iron and characterized the iron trade along the I sraeli coast. The new discoveries contribute t…
A Roman Nautical Lead Brazier
The Roman Lighthouse at Akko, Israel
During Roman rule Akko, in Israel, was a major Levantine seaport. Historical, numismatic and archaeological evidence shows that often Roman maritime-associated activities, in the Levant and elsewhere, included the building or maintenance of lighthouses. No clear indications of a Roman lighthouse in Akko are known. Re-examination of navigational considerations, coastal archaeological surveys, underwater investigations and numismatic evidence suppo…
Ancient Sounding-Weights and Navigation along the Mediterranean Coast of Israel
Underwater archaeological investigations in Israel have recovered scores of sounding-weights of varying shapes, weights and ages. Sixty-three examples kept in Israel Antiquities Authority collections are described in detail, discussed, and placed in a tentative typology of sounding-weight types from the Israeli coast. Finds from shipwreck assemblages enabled dating of some types. Integration of the topography and hydrography of the Israeli coast …
Ancient Remotely-Operated Instruments Recovered Under Water off the Israeli Coast
Underwater archaeological investigations in Israel have recovered instruments intended to be operated under water from a vessel on the surface, at depths and times beyond the ability of free divers. Some of these remotely-operated devices, including salvaging-rings, coral-harvesting devices, and grapnels, are described, classified and discussed. These humble but efficient instruments, the prototypes of sophisticated modern instruments, fulfilled …
Traces of Fatty Acids from a Byzantine Sounding Lead Recovered off the Israeli Coast
A cargo of lead ingots from a shipwreck off Ashkelon, Israel 11th–13th centuries AD
Shipwreck cargo of lead ingots, some marked, discovered off Tel Ashkelon, weighed about four tonnes. C14 analysis of charred wood from an ingot dated it to the 11th–13th centuries AD, Crusader times. Lead isotopic ratios provenanced the ingots to Mont‐Lozère, France. Various aspects of the lead trade are discussed, including: lead sources, extraction, casting, lead in the international maritime trade, weight units in medieval trade, prices, trans…
Marble Disc Ophthalmoi from Two Shipwrecks off the I sraeli Coast
A Needle Assemblage from a Roman Shipwreck off the Israeli Coast
Underwater excavation of a shipwreck-site off Hof Carmel, south of Haifa, Israel, yielded numerous artefacts associated with a ship and cargo dated to the 3rd century AD. Among them were eight sewing needles: six of bronze, one of copper and one of brass. This article describes the needles including their chemical composition, discusses comparable finds from nautical and domestic contexts, and their possible uses and roles aboard a Roman ship
Symbolic engravings on Byzantine sounding leads from the Carmel coast of Israel
Two Byzantine sounding leads recovered from a shipwreck off the Israeli coast were identified and dated by associated coins and artefacts to the 5th–6th centuries AD. The leads are similarly shaped. A cross and a sign like a capital ‘P’ mark both. They may be from a set including an inshore and a deep-sea lead. A depiction of the stellar constellation Cassiopeia is seen on top of the lug of the small lead. Interpretation of the sign is supported …
Symbolic engravings on Byzantine sounding leads from the Carmel coast of Israel
Two Byzantine sounding leads recovered from a shipwreck off the Israeli coast were identified and dated by associated coins and artefacts to the 5th–6th centuries AD. The leads are similarly shaped. A cross and a sign like a capital‘P’ mark both. They may be from a set including an inshore and a deep-sea lead. A depiction of the stellar constellation Cassiopeia is seen on top of the lug of the small lead. Interpretation of the sign is supported b…
Artillery and rigging artefacts from the Megadim wreck-site, Israel
A late 16th- to early 17th-century European shipwreck carrying Venetian ordnance discovered off the Carmel coast, Israel
In 1972, a commercial fisherman, R. Schomos, discovered a bronze gun attached to a wooden gun carriage (Piece A) while diving off Megadim on the Carmel coast (Fig. 1). He informed A. Raban and J. Galili, members of the Underwater Exploration Society of Israel, who documented the gun and its carriage under water (Raban, 1980). However, the assemblage was simultaneously discovered by others, and salvaged unscientifically, thus losing much of the ca…
Wine and Oil Allocations in the Samaria Ostraca
Wine and Oil Allocations in the Samaria Ostraca
Cette collection d'ostraca a ete decouverte dans un magasin de la citadelle de l'Age du Fer (VIIIe s.). Ils relatent des transactions agricoles concernant le vin et l'huile. Cette etude est fondee sur les ostraca des annees 9 et 10. Analyse des donnees (noms des recipiendaires, fournisseurs, donnees, quantites, proportions). Paralleles avec des documents d'autres provenances (Hagia Triada, Ugarit). Reconstitution du systeme de distribution des do…
Subsistence Patterns, Carrying Capacity and Settlement Oscillations in the Negev Highlands
Nathan Straus' contribution to the dairy industry in Palestine∗
A Note on the Middle Bronze Age Cemetery at Jericho
A Note on the Middle Bronze Age Cemetery at Jericho
L'interpretation sociale de la distribution des scarabees, alabastres et epingles a bouton dans les sepultures de l'âge du Bronze moyen (BM) a Jericho, a abouti a deux hypotheses. L'uniformite de la qualite et du nombre d'objets luxueux montre tout d'abord que la societe du BM etait a peu pres egalitaire, que les tombes fouillees sont celles d'une classe sociale, apparement aristocratique, element d'une societe complexe. Les autres classes de cet…
The function of "desert kites" - hunting or livestock husbandry
Recently it was suggested that "desert kites" - man-made structures built, almost certainly, for hunting - were also used for the husbandry of semi-domesticated animals. The following response will examine this new notion and its suitability for interpreting the possible functioning of these archaeological structures. For both biological and anthropological reasons we do not accept the new explanation for the function of the "desert kites
Symbolic engravings on Byzantine sounding leads from the Carmel coast of Israel
Two Byzantine sounding leads recovered from a shipwreck off the Israeli coast were identified and dated by associated coins and artefacts to the 5th–6th centuries AD. The leads are similarly shaped. A cross and a sign like a capital ‘P’ mark both. They may be from a set including an inshore and a deep-sea lead. A depiction of the stellar constellation Cassiopeia is seen on top of the lug of the small lead. Interpretation of the sign is supported …
Symbolic engravings on Byzantine sounding leads from the Carmel coast of Israel
Two Byzantine sounding leads recovered from a shipwreck off the Israeli coast were identified and dated by associated coins and artefacts to the 5th–6th centuries AD. The leads are similarly shaped. A cross and a sign like a capital‘P’ mark both. They may be from a set including an inshore and a deep-sea lead. A depiction of the stellar constellation Cassiopeia is seen on top of the lug of the small lead. Interpretation of the sign is supported b…
Traces of Fatty Acids from a Byzantine Sounding Lead Recovered off the Israeli Coast
Fishing-gear sinkers recovered from an underwater wreckage site, off the Carmel coast, Israel
A classification scheme for the large number of fishing-gear sinkers recovered along the Israeli coast is devised. Sinkers, or weights, of lead and stone are classified by material, shape and method of manufacture.
Fishing-gear sinkers recovered from an underwater wreckage site, off the Carmel coast, Israel
A classification scheme for the large number of fishing-gear sinkers recovered along the Israeli coast is devised. Sinkers, or weights, of lead and stone are classified by material, shape and method of manufacture
The Emergence and Dispersion of the Eastern Mediterranean Fishing Village
In this paper, we propose a model which predicts the timing, location and form of early eastern Mediterranean fishing villages. A submerged late 9th-7th millennium BP settlement off the Carmel coast of Israel is described and presented as a case study to consider the initial development of Mediterranean fishing villages which would have been based upon a combined agro-pastoral-marine economy. The unique development of water-well technology enable…
Fishing Gear from a 7th-Century Shipwreck off Dor, Israel
The ancient anchorage of Dor, Israel, contains wreck-sites from several periods. Underwater exploration of one Byzantine wreck discovered the remains of a medium-size boat constructed with iron nails. Coin-finds dated it to c.665 AD, after the Muslim conquest. The wreck was probably caused by natural agents, but an event in the Byzantine-Muslim conflict can not be discounted. The artefacts include a group of objects testifying to the practice of …
Lead Use on Roman Ships and its Environmental Effects
Underwater surveys along the Israeli coast have yielded numerous lead artefacts recovered from Roman shipwrecks, found due to sand shortage caused by nature and man. Unique site-formation processes resulted in intact and preserved assemblages of lead artefacts unaffected by prior salvage. These included hull sheathing, anchors, fishing gear, cooking equipment and containers. Most lead was in objects intended only for nautical use. The finds indic…
Ancient Remotely-Operated Instruments Recovered Under Water off the Israeli Coast
Underwater archaeological investigations in Israel have recovered instruments intended to be operated under water from a vessel on the surface, at depths and times beyond the ability of free divers. Some of these remotely-operated devices, including salvaging-rings, coral-harvesting devices, and grapnels, are described, classified and discussed. These humble but efficient instruments, the prototypes of sophisticated modern instruments, fulfilled …
Thorny burnet ( Sarcopoterium spinosum L.) in a Roman shipwreck off the Israeli coast and the role of non-timber shrubs in ancient Mediterranean ships
This paper describes and discusses twigs of the dwarf shrub thorny burnet (Sarcopoterium spinosum L.) found in association with submerged remains of a Roman (4th century AD) shipwreck discovered off the Israeli Carmel coast. The twigs were recovered from within a crumpled lead container, interpreted as part of a bilge pump. The find demonstrates again that, under certain favourable circumstances, fragile botanical material can be preserved on anc…
Ancient Sounding-Weights and Navigation along the Mediterranean Coast of Israel
Underwater archaeological investigations in Israel have recovered scores of sounding-weights of varying shapes, weights and ages. Sixty-three examples kept in Israel Antiquities Authority collections are described in detail, discussed, and placed in a tentative typology of sounding-weight types from the Israeli coast. Finds from shipwreck assemblages enabled dating of some types. Integration of the topography and hydrography of the Israeli coast …
A Hellenistic/Early Roman Shipwreck Assemblage off Ashkelon, Israel
Underwater surveys at Ashkelon during 1998 exposed a Hellenistic/Roman shipwreck. The ship, c.15–25 m long, sank in the 1st or 2nd century BC, and its remains include iron anchors, lead sheathing, copper nails, assorted metal artefacts, and shipwright's unused nails. Bronze vessels found—oil-lamp, shovel and ladles—could have functioned in cult rites. Weights and balance-scale parts demonstrate commercial activity. Fishing-net sinkers indicate in…
Evidence for a Separate Burial Ground at the Submerged Pottery Neolithic Site of Neve-Yam, Israel
Des fouilles de sauvetage et des observations de terrain à Neve-Yam, un village de la culture Wadi Rabah (Néolithique céramique, 2nde moitié du VIIIe millénaire cal. BP), submergé de la côte du Carmel, ont révélé des tombes en pierre aux caractéristiques particulières. Elles étaient concentrées dans un secteur spécifique du site, voué aux rituels funéraires. Il n’y avait pas d’habitations dans cette partie destinée aux inhumations, et aucune tomb…
The Evolution of Akko Harbor and its Mediterranean Maritime Trade Links
Archaeological investigations carried out in Akko Harbor from 1992 to 2004 are described and discussed, providing information on its long history. During the Bronze Age, Iron Age, and Persian periods, maritime activity in Akko relied on a natural anchorage. Sediments and artifacts suggest that the harbor was first constructed during the Hellenistic period and flourished since then. In the Byzantine period, the southern breakwater was in ruins and…
The Roman Lighthouse at Akko, Israel
During Roman rule Akko, in Israel, was a major Levantine seaport. Historical, numismatic and archaeological evidence shows that often Roman maritime-associated activities, in the Levant and elsewhere, included the building or maintenance of lighthouses. No clear indications of a Roman lighthouse in Akko are known. Re-examination of navigational considerations, coastal archaeological surveys, underwater investigations and numismatic evidence suppo…
A Roman Nautical Lead Brazier
A Late Bronze Age Shipwreck with a Metal Cargo from Hishuley Carmel, Israel
A 13th-century-BC shipwreck site, Hishuley Carmel, is described and discussed. It provides direct evidence for marine transport of copper and tin along the Israeli coast and may indicate inland and maritime trade-routes of metals in the Mediterranean. The shipwreck represents a supply-system providing the demand for bronze in the Levant. Trace-elements and lead-isotope analysis suggest that the copper came from Cyprus, similarly to bun and oxhide…
Ancient Fishing Gear and Associated Artifacts from Underwater Explorations in Israel - A Comparative Study
Underwater archaeological explorations along the Israeli coast have revealed fish remains, fishing gear, and auxiliary implements. These were recovered from submerged prehistoric villages, anchorages, harbors, fishing grounds, and shipwreck sites. Prehistoric fishing techniques included free-diving fishing and fishing by nets and hooks. A set of fishing gear recovered from a Roman shipwreck off the Carmel coast included netting tools, fishing hoo…
Archaeology (36 works) · Archaeology and Historical Studies (32 works) · Geography (28 works) · Maritime and Coastal Archaeology (28 works) · History (23 works) · History (17 works) · Ancient history (15 works) · Art (12 works) · Biology (12 works) · Geology (12 works)