Introduction

In 1204, the Fourth Crusade captured Constantinople and established a new Latin Empire, which endured until 1261. During this period or soon thereafter, a merchant ship carrying Byzantine wine amphoras sank on the northwest coast of Marmara Island at Çamalti Burnu. The wreck has been chosen to be excavated for several reasons : archaeological, historical and economical. Nothing is known of the ship building technology of this period. The archaeological evidence would contribute immeasurably to a better understanding of commercial activities, otherwise known only from documentary sources. The cargo itself has not yet been investigated in any way. The cargo amphoras of the ÇAMALTI BURNU I wreck were the last ceramic containers in the sea trade before they were replaced with wooden barrels.

Cargo
The ship's cargo has settled in three pockets at depths of between 20 and 32 m. on the sloping sandy bottom. Amongst the first group, at about a depth of 21 m., are the small size of type 4 amphoras while at a depth of about 25 m. there is a group of medium sized amphoras, and further down, at about 32 m., are large amphoras; they seem to indicate where the hull would have been. On this wreck were also found three broken anchors (two 'Y' one probably 'T' type),

and type 3 amphoras of Gunsenin typology. About 17 m. away from this 30 anchors, (most of the anchors probably belong to the ÇAMALTI BURNU I wreck), a mixture of types 'Y' and 'T', were found.The anchors lie about

112 m. parallel to the cargo amphoras showing that the ship, finding itself in difficulty, tried to weigh anchors before sinking to the bottom of the sea floor.

The steps of the project:

1998 field season
1999,2000,2001 field seasons
2002,2003 field seasons
2004 field season...

http://www.denizmagazin.com.tr
(November- December 2000 issue)

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