Fragments of Boats from the Canale Anfora of Aquileia, Italy, and Comparison of Sewn‐Plank Ships in the Roman Era

Abstract

Fragments of Roman sewn‐plank boats have been found, during rescue excavations, in the Canale Anfora, an artificial channel used by Roman ships to enter the Roman city of Aquileia. Remains were found in both 1988 and 2005 at the same site. Elements of what were probably two boats are analysed and compared to other finds of Roman sewn boats found along the coast of the Veneto and Friuli Venezia Giulia regions. They are evidence of the use of this technique, instead of the more widespread mortise‐and‐tenon system, in the quite limited area of the Northern Adriatic. These boats were used both for inland and for maritime navigation.

Key words:

• Aquileia
• Roman
• sewn boat
• ship construction
• Venice

Acknowledgements

Gaddi's contribution to this article is limited to the presentation of the discovery and the analysis of the 2005 section of the boat from Aquileia and to the graphical documentation, while the remaining part of the study (1988 section, general considerations and other finds) is by Beltrame.