Review article
Ancient shipwrecks with sarcophagi cargo in Dalmatia
Igor Miholjek
; Croatian Conservation Institute, Department for Underwater Archaeology, Zagreb, Croatia
Igor Mihajlović
; Croatian Conservation Institute, Department for Underwater Archaeology, Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
Different semi-fnished stone objects make up for one of the most important segments of the ancient maritime trade. Whenever possible, stone was transported by sea or inland waterway, so the Mediterranean holds a number of shipwrecks with the cargo of semi-finished stone objects. The cargo varies, but most commonly it contains architectural stone elements. There are more than fifty in the Mediterranean. Several shipwrecks with stone cargo were found in the Adriatic. Near cape Izmetište, pottery of Eastern Mediterranean origin was found next to nine stone blocks (one out of granite, eight out of limestone). The entire cargo is attributed to the Aegean region, dating back to the beginning of the second century. Near the island of Susak (cape Margarine) next to tegulae and imbrices, eleven cut pillars of white marble and a few semi-stone blocks were found. The classic form of tegula and imbrex generally date back to the first centuries after Christ. This is the greatest stone cargo on the eastern Adriatic coast, weighing more than thirty tons. Thus far we have found three similar sites with sarcophagus cargo on the Adriatic coast. These are the site in front of Great Škoj near the island of Mljet and near the island of Jakljan not far from Dubrovnik. The third one is the recently discovered site with sarcophagi cargo, located near Sutivan on the island of Brač. At the Great Škoj site, near the island of Mljet, about fifteen stone elements were found, including five stone oil containers or sarcophagi. According to the accompanying finds (Hispanic amphorae), the site dates back to the beginning of the second century. Since a few fragments of Eastern coarse ceramic ware were found, the cargo can be attributed to the Aegean origin. In 2003, near the island of Jakljan, at a depth of 37 meters, three sarcophagi with covers were found. The sarcophagi are simple, undecorated. The covers are made in the form of gable roof with corner acroteria. The two sarcophagi and the two covers are located, for the most part, above the bottom, while the third pair is almost entirely buried in sand. In November 2008 divers from the Underwater Research Club Mornar from Split made a dive west of Sutivan, on the basis of previous information provided by local divers from Supetar. On that occasion, several sarcophagi were spotted together with covers, some stone blocks and one stone container. In 2009 the Department of Underwater Archaeology of the Croatian Conservation Institute made a record of the site. Immediately after the first professional dive inspection, it was clear that this is indeed an ancient shipwreck with a cargo of sarcophagi and other stone semi products. The site is located at a depth of 32 meters and extends to approximately 40 m2, containing 21 stone objects arranged in two rows, the bottom part being almost completely in sand. Among the found objects there are two sarcophagi, two covers, one stone container with visible perforations, 15 stone blocks and a column of circular cross section. The site is dated to the second half of the second century.
Keywords
sarcophagi; stone containers; shipwrecks; stone; marble; Veli Škoj; Jakljan; Sutivan
Hrčak ID:
106277
URI
Publication date:
20.12.2011.
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