Location: Naples, Italy

Season Dates: April 20, 2013 - November 22, 2013
Session Dates: 1) April 20 - May 9; 2) May 12-31; 3) June 3-22; 4) June 25 - July 14; 5) July 17 - August 5; 6) August 8-27; 7) August 30 - September 18; 8) September 20 - October 9; 9) October 12-31; and 10) November 3 - November 22
Application Deadline: October 30, 2013

Website: http://www.ecomuseodecavalleria.com

Flyer:

2013_maritime_archaeology_in_sanisera_and_underwater_pompeii.pdf

Program Type
Field school

Affiliation: Ecomuseum of the Cape of Cavalleria and the Sa Nitja Association

Project Director: Fernando Contreras

Project Description

For 2013, the Cavalleria Ecomuseum Field Program offers a Marine Archaeology course which presents three main parts.

The first deals with underwater archaeological survey in order to explore the Ancient Roman Port of Sanitja and the coast of the Cape of Cavalleria. The aim is to identify structures of the Roman city of Sanisera and underwater shipwrecks, as well as anchors and amphorae related to those shipwrecks and its cargoes. The port of Sanitja was not only occupied by Romans.  There are also ruins of a Muslim mosque and an English defence tower which lead us to believe that we will find other vessels from these time periods. In the past few years, several anchors and three shipwrecks from the XVI-XIX centuries have been found.

The second part of the course will focus on Mediterranean shipbuilding techniques, both in theoretical and practical levels. Students will put into practice their conservation skills with a ship that was built around 1850.

The third part consists in studying the submerged archaeological remains of Portus Iulius and the Roman villas of the Baia Underwater Park. In order to do this, participants will fly to Naples Bay, Italy.

The underwater archaeological course will be directed by Fernando Contreras, director of the Ecomuseum of the Cape of Cavalleria, in collaboration with other underwater archaeologists, divers and specialists in maritime archaeology.  

The course is designed to provide practical experience in underwater fieldwork, from site discovery to lab analysis.

In the part of the course focused on the underwater survey of the port, students will gain experience in various activities such as surveying methods, site reconnaissance, recording, drawing, mapping, position fixing, photography, and laboratory processing, with 50% of course time dedicated to these tasks.

In the second part focused on shipbuilding techniques, students will learn the basics about traditional Mediterranean shipbuilding, as well as learning which tools, instruments and methods are the most suitable in order to restore old vessels. Time dedicated to this part of the program: 20%.

Finally, the third and last part of the course will focus on the recognition – unique in the world – of structures, mosaics, sculptures, amphora and Roman pottery at the Baia Underwater Park. Here participants will put into practice what they have learned during the part of the course about underwater survey. In Baia they will record and prepare the photography inventory of the archaeological remains and materials located there. Students will dedicate 30% of their time to those practices.

Students will also attend lectures on Roman History, shipwrecks, Roman Amphorae, Ancients Ports and methods on archaeological survey. 

The course runs six hours per day.  The day will be divided between diving in the port of Sanitja, lab work, exercises, lectures, videos and excursions. The course is taught in English and Spanish.

The field school course has a length of 20 days and will start in Spain. Students will meet in Menorca on the first day of the course. Next and during the following 14 days they will focus on the Maritime archaeology fieldwork at the ancient port of Sanisera.

For the following 4 days students will fly to Naples so that they can practice what they have learned in Sanitja port, at the Underwater Pompeii (Baia). In their day off – before flying back to Menorca – students will have an excursion to visit the Roman ruins of the City of Pompeii.

Finally, the last 2 days of the course will be off for the students to enjoy and get to know the island of Menorca.

Period(s) of Occupation: Roman to modern

Project Size: 1-24 participants

Minimum Length of Stay for Volunteers: 20 days

Minimum Age: 18 (contact with questions about age)

Experience Required: no

Room and Board Arrangements

Participants will stay in the Ecomuseum's student residency in Ciutadella within walking distance of the historic center, port, and beaches. The residency has heating and air-conditioning, laundry service, free wifi and an outdoor terrace with views of the ocean and historic center. Ciutadella is an enchanting Mediterranean town, lively with cafés and outdoor terraces hidden among narrow cobble stone streets. Transportation to and from the dive site and planned excursions are included. Cost includes room and board, transportation, accidental medical insurance,planned excursions, weights, tanks and air, PADI for those in group # 1, application fee and administrative cost.

Cost: From $2,700 to $3,800

Academic Credit
Number of credits offered: none

Contact Information
Lana Johnson
APDO 68
Es Mercadal, Menorca 07740
Spain
sanisera@arrakis.es
Phone: 34699695580