Ancient Shipwreck Research Articles

Analyze the Cultural Efficacy of the Ancient Shipwreck Hailao Porcelain in the New Era from the Perspective of Culture

The presence of Hailao porcelain in the world is widespread, with historical, economic, practical, artistic, and other functional attributes, so its comprehensive benefits cannot be underestimated. The development of modern science and technology, and the reasonable and effective development of Hailao porcelain in different times, are conducive to the development of China’s cultural construction. Because Hailao porcelain is different from the traditional ancient porcelain (handed down and unearthed), it is a new cultural research field. This marine wealth has great economic, cultural, and historical value, and plays an important role in the cultural construction and social development of the country in the new period. The cultural efficacy covered by the ancient shipwreck Hailao porcelain includes the functions of inheritance, cognition, education, communication, and so on, which is conducive to the current cultural development. People can use the new perspective and new concept of cultural and creative thinking to make these cultural relics “alive”, give play to the new cultural value, promote the economy of cultural relics and works of art, serve the spiritual and cultural life, and strengthen the cultural exchanges and cooperation between China and other countries in the world.

A Scientific Analytical on the Ancient Shipwrecks Degradation Products Excavated from Underwater: Focused on Sulfur and Iron Degradation Products

A Scientific Analytical on the Ancient Shipwrecks Degradation Products Excavated from Underwater: Focused on Sulfur and Iron Degradation Products

Paleo-tropical cyclone activity over the last millennium inferred from shipwreck relics in the Xisha Islands, northern South China Sea

The prediction of the impact of long-term climate change on tropical cyclone (TC) activity has become a global concern, for which paleotempestology could provide crucial information about TC activity before instrumental archives. The ancient shipwrecks could alternatively be applied to retrieve paleo-TC activity owing to strong TC activity being among the dominant causes of historical shipwrecks. This study presents a preliminary study exploring the potential relationship between the shipwrecks and TC activity based on the compilation of shipwreck relics and chronological assessments of porcelains associated with the shipwrecks in the Xisha Islands, in the northern South China Sea (SCS). The compilation generally spans from the Song Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty (approximately 960 to 1850 CE), showing relatively enhanced shipwreck events during the time interval between 1400 and 1700 CE, consistent with the increased moisture and flood events during this period from other adjacent sedimentary records. Further analysis suggests that paleo-TC activity was controlled by multiple mechanisms concerning the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO), the movement of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), and Asian dust emissions. Frequent ENSO events and the southward retreat of the ITCZ would have contributed to increased moisture in tropical regions promoting TC activity during the Little Ice Age (LIA), while the dust would strengthen TC activity through atmospheric circulations. Additional work combining the archaeological and sedimentary archives should be indispensable to further understand the climatic connections and potential mechanisms of TC processes, under climate change and relevant mitigation measures.

Novel wreck salvaging method using curved rectangular pipe basing method: A case study of “Yangtze River Estuary II” ancient shipwreck salvage project

Shipwreck salvage is a risky, time-consuming, and expensive process. Although there are many sunken ships along coastlines and in the open seas, the salvage process of a sunken ship has rarely been reported. The integrated salvage of the “Yangtze River Estuary II” shipwreck used a novel method with 22 closely locked curved rectangular pipes to form a watertight base that wrapped the shipwreck inside. The basing was lifted out of the water using a powerful crane situated on an engineering ship. For the first time, the tunneling method was used in a shipwreck salvage project, significantly reducing the disturbance to the shipwreck and its stowage, thereby preserving the original state and integrity of the shipwreck to the greatest extent. In this study, the basic concepts of the salvage method and process are explained. Solutions to critical issues in the new salvage method are provided, including jacking force prediction and major considerations for the structural design of the salvage system. The design of the salvage system and salvage process of the “Yangtze River Estuary II” shipwreck are introduced. The monitored jacking force, pipe deformation, and observed water-tightness verified that the proposed method was effective and efficient. Other possible application scenarios for the proposed method are presented at the end.

The multispecies shipwreck

ABSTRACT In an era of species extinction, ecological destruction and uncertain futures, the separation of nature and culture within conceptualisations of heritage has become increasingly untenable. Although the limitations – and even damage – caused by the separation of these ontological categories is widely accepted within heritage studies, scholarly interventions calling for more connected ontologies are commonly framed within the context of the terrestrial. This article departs from these terra-centric approaches to instead consider the potential of an oceanic imaginary to problematise and even dismantle these dualist categories. With a specific focus on the Belitung, an ancient shipwreck found in Indonesian waters, this paper dwells on the wreck’s submerged interlude between loss and discovery. It considers the impact of this millennia-long extended period underwater in terms of marine ecosystems and more-than-human growth and destruction. By attending to the process by which ship becomes wreck becomes reef, this article thus draws necessary attention to the ways in which wreck becomes heritage, thus offering insights into how values are ascribed to underwater cultural heritage, and how this both perpetuates, and disrupts, the nature-culture binary.

A Virtual Reality application for the exploration of a modern shipwreck: the case study of the Christoforos wreck

The paper presents the development of a Virtual Reality (VR) application to perform dives in the Christoforos Shipwreck. The huge wreck lies in the Panormos Bay of Skopelos island (Greece) at a depth of 45 meters. Based on a well-known methodology designed for ancient shipwrecks, the 3D reconstruction of the underwater site has been carried out by adjusting the workflow to survey modern shipwrecks. In particular, the methodology, based on photogrammetry, is capable to provide a highly detailed 3D reconstruction of the shipwreck in a few dives, considering issues like working depth, elevations, and thin elements modelling. Moreover, the paper describes the optimization of the 3D model and the software to be executed in low-performance Head Mounted Display (HMD) devices. The resulting VR application, realized for touristic purposes, recreates the exact ambient conditions inside and outside the water simulating the flora and fauna of the place, the coastline, allowing users to live a recreational and educational experience by virtual diving in the underwater site.

Data-driven prediction for curved pipe jacking performance during underwater excavation of ancient shipwreck using an attention-based graph convolutional network approach

Thrust is a crucial parameter to ensure the quality of underwater curved pipe jacking construction. A prediction framework based on hybrid deep learning is proposed to realize real-time prediction of thrust. The method contains graph convolutional neural network (GCN), gated recurrent unit (GRU), and self-attention (SA) mechanism. To enhance the interpretability of the method, Shapley Additive Explanations (SHAP), and causal discovery models are introduced within the framework. Taking the salvage project of the “Yangtze Estuary No. 2″ shipwreck as a case study, the prediction performance of the model is verified. The results show that the proposed model achieves excellent performance in thrust prediction for underwater curved pipe jacking, with an average MAE of 11.07 kN, RMSE of 13.96 kN, and R2 value of 0.934. The SHAP analysis reveals that angle, buried depth, and stratum changes exert significant influences on thrust. Furthermore, the spatial correlation and temporal correlation among features are revealed. Compared to other models, the proposed model exhibits superior prediction accuracy and is capable of handling various time step sizes, thereby providing valuable decision support for curved pipe jacking thrust prediction.

Between two continents queen of cities’s “Constantinopolis: new discoveries”

In the last 20 years, rescue excavations in modern Istanbul have revealed new discoveries about the past of Constantinople, the new capital of Ancient Rome. In 2004, the Istanbul Archaeological Museums Directorate carried out salvage excavations at the points where Istanbul's underground transportation network metro stations were planned, and the surprising finds that started with the discovery of Theodosius harbor continued with 38 ancient shipwrecks. The Istanbul Archaeological Survey in the west of Istanbul also uncovered the ancient harbors, ancient towns, castles, fortresses, dams and many other structures in 2007. The new finds shed light on the relationship of Constantinople, the Queen of Cities, with its immediate surroundings. In this part of the book, the harbours established on the western periphery of the capital.

Characteristics of Ancient Shipwreck Wood from Huaguang Jiao No. 1 after Desalination.

Huaguangjiao I refers to the ancient Chinese wooden shipwreck of the South Song Dynasty (1127-1279 AD) discovered in the South China Sea in 1996. From 2008 to 2017, the archaeological waterlogged wood was desalted using deionized water combined with ultrasonic treatment, and desalted using EDTA-2Na, EDTAHO, and NaH2PO4·2H2O solutions. In this paper, the degree of degradation of the modified waterlogged archaeological wood and the moisture and content of the main components were determined. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), nanoindentation (NI), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were employed to investigate the state of wood degradation after desalination and desulfurization. The results showed that the water content of the wood was as high as 532~1149%, while the basic density was only 0.14~0.18 g/cm3, indicating that the wood had been seriously degraded. The holocellulose content was only 36-40%. Based on the XRD patterns, the degree of cellulose crystallinity in the modified wood was 14.08%. The elastic modulus and hardness of the ancient shipwreck wood after desalination and desulfurization were 1.28-4.31 and 0.10-0.28 GPa, respectively, according to nanoindentation. In addition, the FTIR spectra revealed that the biological deterioration of the modified wood caused cellulose and hemicellulose degradation, but no apparent lignin alteration occurred. The results could provide knowledge for appropriate dewatering, strengthening, and restoration strategies.

Arkeologi Maritim: Kapal Karam Di Semenanjung Malaysia

This article discusses archaeological research of shipwrecks as a form of underwater cultural heritage with special reference to ancient shipwrecks and their cargoes discovered in Peninsular Malaysia from 1907 to 2019. The discussion will include the formation process of underwater cultural heritage, especially the discoveries of shipwreck sites and cargoes which have connections as well as trade, cultural and political relationships with early maritime kingdoms in Southeast Asia. The significance of shipwreck sites in the development of archaeological shipwrecks in Peninsular Malaysia will also be discussed in the contexts of research and education of our national history. This is important for the early development of maritime archaeology’s potential, particularly on shipwrecks from the 1990s to the early first decade of the 21st century.

Mapping and Recording of Ancient Shipwrecks by Using Marine Remote Sensing Techniques: Case Studies From Turkish Coasts

Within the context of the “Shipwreck Inventory Project of Turkey (SHIPT),” numerous acoustic remote sensing and photogrammetric surveys have been carried out along the coast of Turkey with the aim of detecting, mapping and documenting underwater cultural heritage. During the surveys, many ancient shipwreck sites have been discovered thanks to advanced technologies such as high-resolution side-scan sonar (SSS), sub-bottom profiler (SBP), and remotely operated vehicle (ROV). Once acoustic anomalies have been located, shipwreck sites have been verified by ROV and documented by 3D photogrammetric survey. Analysis of the collected data confirmed that the survey design and data acquisition parameters are the most important criteria for obtaining best quality image. Performing high-resolution remote sensing and photogrammetric survey for shipwrecks using optimal data collection techniques provides rapid results, decreasing time and budget and increasing the quantity of underwater cultural heritage that can be recorded. This paper discusses proper survey stages for the rapid, effective, high quality detection and recording of the shipwrecks using advanced technology. Acoustic images of shipwrecks comparing cargo, period, and form are also introduced in this paper, for the first time, which provide data on interpreting anomalies accurately for further exploration and monitoring surveys.

Analysis of the composition of culturable airborne microorganisms in the archaeological excavation protection site of the Nanhai No. 1 Ancient Shipwreck.

After the recovery of the ship from the sea on 2007, the Nanhai No. 1 Ancient Shipwreck is currently exposed to the air. Air microorganisms settle on wooden shipwrecks, and they can use wood matrix to grow and multiply, causing biocorrosion and biodegradation. In this study, a systematical survey of the composition of culturable airborne microorganisms was performed at the conservation site of the Nanhai No. 1 Ancient Shipwreck. Airborne microorganisms were collected from seven sites in the preservation Nanhai No. 1 area over five periods. Molecular identification of the culturable microorganisms isolated from the air was done by sequencing both 16S rRNA (bacteria) and ITS (fungi) gene regions. The biodegradability of these strains was evaluated by degradation experiments with cellulose and lignin as substrate. The results showed that the composition of the isolated microbial communities was different in each period, and microbial spatial distribution was dissimilar in the same period. In the recent 2020, the dominant bacterial genus was Acinetobacter, and the dominant fungal genera were Penicillium, Aspergillus, and Cerrena. Acinetobacter spp. can degrade cellulose and lignin. Penicillium spp., Aspergillus spp., and Cerrena spp. degraded cellulose but only Cerrena spp. could utilize lignin. These dominant strains may have a harmful effect on the Nanhai No. 1 Ancient Shipwreck. This study provides data on the airborne microbial community found inside the protective chamber where Nanhai No. 1 Shipereck is placed, which can be used as a reference basis for the future conservation of the ship.

Searching for Silphium: An Updated Review

From luxury spice to medical cure-all, silphium was a product coveted throughout the ancient world and occupied an essential place in the export economy of ancient Cyrene. The mysterious extinction of the silphium plant in the 1st century CE leaves us with little evidence as to the exact nature of this important agricultural product. In this paper, an historical background on the kingdom of Cyrene is provided, evidence for the nature of the silphium plant is reviewed, how and why it was consumed and traded is discussed. Possible causes of extinction are considered in the context of plant genetics, biometrics, and soil geochemistry. Next, we demonstrate how modern medical studies conducted on possible living relatives can inform us about claims made by ancient authors as to the medical uses of the silphium plant, including its use as a contraceptive and abortifacient. Finally, methods for recovering silphium are explored. We show how underwater archaeology and the search for ancient shipwrecks off the northern coast of Libya may offer our best chance for the recovery of botanical remains of ancient silphium, and how ancient DNA may be able to establish the genetic makeup of this elusive plant.

THE SHIP WRECK OF THE LATE 4th / EARLY 3rd CENTURY BC NEAR KINBURN SPIT

During the campaign of 2018 the international underwater archaeological expedition has explored the waters of Tendra Spit and Kinburn Spit on the shelf of the Black Sea, in Mykolaiv and Kherson regions of Ukraine. Underwater archaeological exploration focused on the waters near the northern tip of Tendra Spit, from both the Gulf of Tendra and the sea, and north-western tip of Kinburn Spit. In addition to the visual reconnaissance, divers were using sonar, profiler and side-scan sonar. As a result, the bathymetric map has been compiled. In the initial part of research the work was limited to mapping and taking photographs of the discoveries. During these works was discovered and cleansed the ancient Shipwreck of the late 4th — early 3rd century BC. It was possible to identify the well-preserved fragment of the hull of ancient Wreck of a length of 9.45 m in situ with ballast stones, ceramic material from the cargo, lead plating and him constructions elements. After clearing of the sand from the preserved part of the ship hull with the help of a hydro injector the video and photo documentation was carried out. As a result of these works, large-scale photo mosaic of the object and its 3D-model were made. The condition of the wooden hull is excellent, the technological holes, connections, bronze and iron nails are preserved.
 Outside of Ukraine several shipwrecks of the same period are attested. The best studied are the following: shipwreck of the 3rd century BC at Grand Congloue, France; the Mazotos shipwreck of the 4th century BC in Cyprus; the Porticello shipwreck of the end of the 5th or beginning of the 4th century BC in Italy; the Alonnisos shipwreck from the end of the 5th century BC, Greece; the Kyrenia shipwreck from the end of the 4th — beginning of the 3rd centuries BC in Cyprus. In the Black Sea, in 2011 a shipwreck from the end of the 4th — beginning of the 3rd centuries BC near Eregli, Turkey (ancient Herakleia Pontica) was discovered by a deep-sea expedition of the research vessel «Nautilus» under the direction of Michael Brennan at a depth of 101 m. Most of the known merchant ships of this period were small, ranging from 12 to 17 m (table). Boris Peters provides a reconstruction sketch of the Lake Donuzlav ship of the late 4th — early 3rd centuries BC. It is almost identical to the reconstruction of the Kyrenia merchant ship, based on its hull which was preserved by 75 %, The replica named «Kyrenia 2» was built and made several voyages. It can be assumed that the Kinburn Spit ship found in 2018 was of similar appearance but further research will provide more detailed information.

Lost at sea: Identifying the post-depositional alteration of amphorae in ancient shipwrecks

The present paper sheds new light on the alteration of archaeological ceramics buried in marine environments by analysing in detail a large dataset of Hellenistic and Late Roman Republican transport amphorae from 15 sites along the well-known ancient maritime trade route off the Dalmatian coast in southern Croatia. These include amphorae from shipwrecks, kiln sites and settlements. Ceramic petrography and instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) have been used to compare sherds of amphorae made in the same workshop, of the same fabric and origin, but recovered from both shipwrecks and terrestrial sites and were therefore exposed to different burial environments over two millennia. The integration of both methods permitted the identification of differential microstructural and geochemical alteration of the amphorae under the sea relative to those found on land. By applying principal components analysis and test statistics, we have detected enrichment of As, Ca, Na, Sb, Sr and U and depletion of Ba, Cs, K and Rb in amphorae from the marine environment, relative to those buried on land. The implications of the study are discussed in terms of the provenance determination of amphorae from submerged environments and the reconstruction of ancient maritime trade routes.

Survey Paper on Visibility Restoration of Underwater Optical Images and Enhancement Techniques

We have investigated the problem of underwater hazy image enhancement and restoration in this paper studied. Underwater image processing has several applications in the field of oceanic research work and scientific applications such as archaeology, geology, underwater environmental assessment, laying of long distance gas pipelines and communication links across the continents which demand geo-referential surveying of the oceanic bed and prospection of ancient shipwreck. There are many difficulties for undersea optical imaging. To submerging a camera in underwater enough space is required. The maneuvering of the camera with the help from remote place or in person at the site is likewise a complex task. However, the major challenge is imposed by underwater medium properties. Underwater haze image enhancement has gained widespread importance with the rapid development of modern imaging equipment. Though, the contrast enhancement of single underwater hazy image is a cumbersome task for scientific exploration and computational application. At extreme depth, because of attenuation in light propagation, the underwater images are susceptible to inferior visibility.

Lost at Sea: Identifying the Post-Depositional Alteration of Amphorae in Ancient Shipwrecks

The present paper sheds new light on the alteration of archaeological ceramics buried in marine environments by analysing in detail a large dataset of Hellenistic and Late Roman Republican transport amphorae from 15 sites along the well-known ancient maritime trade route off the Dalmatian coast in southern Croatia. These include amphorae from shipwrecks, kiln sites and settlements. Ceramic petrography and instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) have been used to compare sherds of the same fabric and origin, but recovered from both shipwrecks and terrestrial sites and were therefore exposed to different burial environments. The integration of both methods permitted the identification of differential microstructural and geochemical alteration of the amphorae under the sea relative to those found on land. By applying principal components analysis and test statistics, we have detected enrichment of As, Ca, Na, Sb, Sr and U and depletion of Ba, Cs, K and Rb in amphorae from the marine environment, relative to those buried on land. The implications of the study are discussed in terms of the provenance determination of amphorae from submerged environments and the reconstruction of ancient maritime trade routes.

Application of pseudo-3D Chirp sub-bottom profiler survey: a case study of ancient wooden shipwreck site, west coast of Korea

Chirp sub-bottom profilers (SBP) provide centi-to-decimetre resolution, seismic data with applications for various geophysical and geological purposes. To verify the field application of imaging of a buried target with a cost-effective and easy-to-apply pseudo-3D Chirp SBP survey, we explored the buried site of an ancient wooden shipwreck off the west coast of Korea before underwater excavations. The survey was conducted using a commercial 2D Chirp SBP system with a newly devised recording system that preserved the true polarity of the chirp signal. To produce high-resolution 3D Chirp SBP data from 2D Chirp SBP datasets recorded by the novel system, an optimal data processing sequence, consisting of a first phase of 2D data processing and a second phase of 3D data processing was designed. The first, 2D phase, included the estimation of a source sweep signature, cross-correlation, and deconvolution using an inverse filter. The resulting resolution of the 2D Chirp SBP data was better than that of the enveloped data provided by the commercial acquisition system. The second phase of 3D data processing included gathering 3D datasets, redistributing of ping positions, and static correction. To improve the consistency of the seismic events and reduce the repetitive corrections (swell, tidal, tie, and residual corrections), a static correction was based on multi-beam echo sounder data. The amplitude variation near the shipwreck was clearly apparent in the time slice from the final pseudo-3D Chirp SBP dataset with a bin size of 2.0 m (crossline) × 0.6 m (inline). Through 3D rendering, the buried ancient shipwreck with dimensions of 5 m (width) × 12 m (length) × 2 m (depth) was imaged successfully.

A study on the departure port of the Sinan shipwreck—A perspective based on the Chinese ceramic cargo

The 14th century Sinan (or Shinan) Shipwreck, located in the southwestern marine area of the Korean peninsula, is one of the most significant ancient shipwrecks in the East Asian seas. Several hypotheses have been proposed about the port of departure, although insufficient archaeological research has been carried out on this matter. This paper makes a detailed comparison between the ceramics found on the Sinan shipwreck and the contemporaneous ceramics unearthed in Fuzhou, Hangzhou, and Ningbo in China, using three parameters: places of origin, proportion of products from different kilns, and similarity in ware types. We confirm that the most likely departure port of the ship was Ningbo (at that time called Qingyuan), from the perspective of its ceramic cargo. This inspires us to re-evaluate the importance of Ningbo to the maritime trade in the East Asian seas.

Bryozoan diversity of Cyprus (eastern Mediterranean Sea): first results from census surveys (2011–2018)

The Mediterranean bryozoan fauna is considered to be well studied compared to other marine areas of the world. However, in the Levantine Basin, bryozoan diversity has not yet been adequately documented. This report presents the first systematic and most comprehensive study of bryozoans sampled in Cyprus during census surveys from 2011 to 2018. The specimens were collected between 9 and ~620 m depth from several habitat types (mainly soft-bottom environments but also hard natural/artificial substrata, ancient shipwrecks, a marine cave, and deep-water coral habitats) around the island by means of bottom trawls, remotely operated vehicles, and scuba diving. The surveys produced a total of 91 species, 26 of which (=28%) are new records for the Levantine Basin, and 10 (=11%) are probably new to science. Our results thus show that the diversity of bryozoans in the eastern Mediterranean Sea is still significantly underestimated.