A small Roman boat was discovered in the port of Alexandria. Why was it transporting a large iron anchor at the moment it sank? Professor Damian Robinson presents this fascinating and rare find.
J3, a small boat around 6 meters long, was discovered by the European Institute for Underwater Archaeology (IEASM) in the eastern harbour of Alexandria, the ancient Portus Magnus. The boat, dating to the 1st-2nd century AD, was discovered towards the northeastern end of the now sunken Antirhodos Island in its sheltered inner harbour, well preserved in the sediments.
The excavation allowed a team from the IEASM to study the wreck in detail, to reveal the details of the construction and to interpret the function of the boat and its potential region of origin. J3 was transporting a large iron anchor at the moment it sank. This occupied almost the entire preserved length of the ship and was carefully positioned with its crown on the decked aft area and the shank under the removable thwarts.
This lecture was recorded as part of the 2021 online seminar series "Alexandria and the Sea" held by the Oxford Centre for Maritime Archaeology.
For more information about the OCMA: https://ocma.web.ox.ac.uk/
For more information about the European Institute for Underwater Archaeology (IEASM):
https://www.ieasm.org/
https://www.franckgoddio.org/
https://www.youtube.com/@Franck_Goddio
For more information about the Hilti Foundation: https://www.hiltifoundation.org/
