Spain

Wrapping Tusk © 2010 Patrick Baker

In late 7^th century BCE, a Phoenician ship set sail from the trading port of Malaka (modern Malaga), transporting a diverse cargo of raw materials and manufactured goods. In route to the Phoenician colony of La Fonteta along Spain’s northern coast, the ship ran aground on a shallow reef known as the Bajo de la Campana (“Shallows of the Bell”).  Today the ship’s cargo of elephant ivory, metal ingots, amphoras, and luxury items, litter the seafloor off La Manga del Mar Menor.  In order to better understand the ship and its cargo, as well as Phoenician commercial networks throughout the Mediterranean, the Institute of Nautical Archaeology and Spain’s National Museum for Underwater Archaeology collaborated in the excavation of the shipwreck.   In 2010 I had a chance to join Mark Polzer and his team, and I will be posting descriptions and photographs from the excavation.

Diving © 2010 Veronica Morriss