Two composite anchors of a kind not hitherto identified, each composed of a re-used ashlar block, a wooden shank, two arms and a rope, were discovered recently on the Dead Sea shoreline. Two additional anchor weights of identical type were found in the same region. The two well-preserved anchors were dated to the Fatimid-Crusader period. The shank and the arms were made from local tree species: Christ thorn and tamarisk, and both ropes of date-palm.
The history of maritime archaeology in Israel began in the 1950s. This article summarizes the emergence of the discipline and its evolution, the main institutions involved, the physical conditions and their influence on the nature of ancient maritime activity, the nature of the sites, site formation, post-deposition processes, and the associated methodologies of underwater archaeological research. The typology of sites and significant finds that have been studied are briefly reviewed. These range from submerged Neolithic settlements inundated by the post-glacial rising sea level, harbors, anchorages, shipwrecks, and cargoes up to World War II.
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