Toggles and Sails in the Ancient World: Rigging Elements Recovered from the Tantura B Shipwreck, Israel

The Tantura E shipwreck was discovered in Tantura lagoon, Israel, in a water depth of 2.8 m, covered by 1 m of sand. It was a coaster that plied the Levant coast, dated to the 7th-9th centuries CE. It was recorded under water, but several components were studied on land, as well as the finds. The hull is of frame-based construction, with flat floor timbers and a sharp turn of the bilge. The archaeological evidence, as well as modern design tools and regulations, suggests that Tantura E was c.12.5 m long, of 25 tonnes displacement, and could load c.17.5 tonnes.

Section: Reconstructionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The 7th-9th Century Tantura E Shipwreck, Israel: construction and reconstruction

Israeli

Kahanov

2014

“…Brindley, 1926: 12–13). It has been suggested that the manuscripts are copies of earlier works (see Kreutz, 1976: 85; Polzer, 2008: 246). If this is the case then the copyists obviously felt that the ships they were reproducing would still be representative of suitable watercraft to the intended 9th‐century viewer.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Mediterranean Lateen Sail in Late Antiquity

Whitewright

2009

The Mediterranean lateen sailing rig has been studied since the early-to-mid-20th century. Recently-published depictions of sailing vessels rigged with lateen and settee sails, dating to the late-antique period, allow some of the principle characteristics of that rig to be established. This allows comparison with lateen-or settee-rigged vessels from both earlier and later periods. The sailing rigs depicted on other vessels can be identified and the level of technical continuity between the late-antique and medieval Mediterranean addressed. Finally it is possible to assess the extent to which the lateen sail was established in the Mediterranean by late antiquity.

“…That this could occur some 20 years ago and continue unchallenged is perhaps an indication of how little attention has been paid to the subject. It needs to be resolved by further discussion, not least because several Mediterranean wreck‐sites, including Tantura B (Polzer, 2008: 229), appear to be using these definitions, and Veldmeijer and Wendrich, working on terrestrial sites in Egypt, some of which contain boat‐rigging, are among the few who are systematically recording cordage finds. While Wendrich and Veldmeijer's algebraic notational cordage‐recording‐system works at least for smaller items, it would seem wise to avoid their definitions completely.…”

Section: Rope Terminologymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…(2004: 122) have a significant section on the 9th‐century Tantura B wreck, excavated 1994–96, where they state that ‘no rigging elements were identified’, and, using published details of the excavated hull‐structural details, hypothesize about the ship's rig. But then in Polzer (2008: 225) we have ‘Rigging Elements Recovered from the Tantura B Shipwreck’, describing ‘numerous rope fragments’. This contradiction would appear to be in part the result of the degree of priority afforded during and after wreck excavations to publishing hull‐structure.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Knowing the Ropes: The Need to Record Ropes and Rigging on Wreck-Sites and Some Techniques for Doing So

Sanders¹

2010

Wreck-sites often produce large quantities of rope and rigging. For a number of reasons these are seldom systematically recorded or interpreted. It is argued here that the justifications produced for this are in many cases not tenable. However, one problem has been a lack of practical techniques, and insufficient training in how and what to record. This issue is discussed and some solutions offered. It is also argued that study of rigging could tell us much about the vessels, the processes of their wrecking, and the maritime world in which they operated.