Rigging of the Ma‘agan Mikhael B shipwreck (7th–8th centuries AD): new finds

Abstract

During the 2019 underwater excavation season of the Ma‘agan Mikhael B shipwreck (mid‐7th–mid‐8th centuries AD), an unattached hook‐shaped masthead fitting with sheaves was discovered and retrieved. This remarkable and rare find is a type of fitting characteristic of lateen‐rigged vessels, and is an addition to the assembly of rigging elements, such as blocks and ropes and the mast‐step assembly, found and documented in previous seasons. Pieces of fabric, which might be remnants of the sail, were also found. These finds allowed the rig of the ship to be reconstructed and shed new light on eastern Mediterranean sailing during Late Antiquity.

Resumen

La jarcia del pecio Ma‘agan Mikhael B (Siglos VII – VIII d.C.): nuevos hallazgos

Durante las excavaciones subacuáticas del pecio Ma‘agan Mikhael B (Siglos VII – VIII d.C.), se descubrió y recuperó un accesorio desarticulado de la cabeza del mástil en forma de gancho y con poleas (cuadernal). Este hallazgo notable y extraordinario es un elemento de motonería característico de las embarcaciones de vela latina y es una adición a la colección de elementos de la jarcia, como los motones, las cuerdas y el ensamblaje de la carlinga hallados y documentados en temporadas de campo previas. También fueron se hallaron trozos de textil, que pueden ser remanentes de la vela. Estos hallazgos permitieron la reconstrucción de la jarcia de la embarcación y arrojaron nuevas luces sobre la navegación en el este del Mediterráneo durante la Antigüedad tardía.

Palabras clave: Antigüedad tardía, jarcia, vela latina, cabeza del mástil, Mediterráneo, motón giratorio

抽象

马阿甘·迈克尔B沉船 (公元7-8世纪) 索具的新发现

在2019年马阿甘·迈克尔B沉船 (公元7世纪中期至8世纪中期) 的水下发掘中, 发现并提取了一-脱开的带滑轮的钩形桅顶装置。这一引人注目的罕见文物具有大三角帆船的索具特征, 它属于前几次发掘中发现并登记的索具构件——诸如绳、块和桅座构件等——的一部分。其上发现的织物残留物很可能是船帆的残片。这些发现使-船的索具装备得以重建, 并为地中海东部古典时代晚期航海研究提供了新的视角。

关键词: 古典时代晚期, 大三角帆, 桅顶, 地中海, 转动块

馬阿甘•邁克爾B沉船 (公元7-8世紀) 索具的新發現

在2019年馬阿甘•邁克爾B沉船 (公元7世紀中期至8世紀中期) 的水下發掘中, 發現並提取了一個-開的帶滑輪的鈎形桅頂裝置。這一引人注目的罕見文物具有大三角帆船的索具特征, 它屬于前幾次發掘中發現並登記的索具構件——諸如繩、塊和桅座構件等——的一部分。其上發現的織物殘留物很可能是船帆的殘片。這些發現使-船的索具裝備得以重建, 並爲地中海東部古典時代晚期航海研究提供了新的視角。

關-詞: 古典時代晚期, 大三角帆, 桅頂, 地中海, 轉動塊

ملخص

Key words:

• Late Antiquity
• lateen‐rigged
• masthead
• Mediterranean
• turning blocks

Acknowledgements

The underwater excavations (IAA permits G‐41/2016, G‐40/2017, G‐26/2018 and G‐34/2019) and research of the Ma‘agan Mikhael B shipwreck are supported by the Israel Science Foundation (grant no. 1891/16), the Honor Frost Foundation, a Dov Shafir Fellowship, a Natan Rotenstreich Scholarship, a Sir Maurice Hatter Fellowship, the Research Authority of the University of Haifa, Kibbutz Ma‘agan Mikhael, and anonymous donors, to whom the authors are grateful. The authors would like to thank E. Rieth, Y. Palzur and K. Batchvarov for their input and advice, and J.B. Tresman for the English editing. We are grateful for the valuable comments made by the referees.

This article is dedicated to the memory of Professor Yaacov Kahanov, an experienced seaman and an exceptional teacher.

Additional information

Funding

Israel Science Foundation

Honor Frost Foundation