The ancient harbour and anchorage at Dor, Israel : results of the underwater surveys 1976 - 1991

The harbour floor at Dor was sporadically stripped between 1976-1991, granting a unique opportunity to scrutinise the dynamics of trade encapsulated within a 4,000 year time-frame. The exposed deposits range from fragmentray amphorae, typifying harbour contamination, through to a corpus of over 200 ancient anchors, carpenters' tools, swords, and thirteen shipwrecks spanning from the thirteenth century BC through to the era of the Napoleonic invasion. The Byzantine period, in particular, is extensively represented. This volume provides a full catalogue with interpretation of the artefacts in their context and a cosideration of the socio-economic impact of the harbour. Appendices include an assessment of stone anchors plus technical reports on aspects of the shipwrecks.