During the expansive dominion of the Roman Empire, a civilization from millennia past, craftsmanship was characterized by enduring durability.
From a vessel discovered submerged in the Adriatic Sea approximately 2,200 years ago, scholars are currently elucidating the methodologies employed by Roman-era shipwrights to ensure their maritime craft remained seaworthy for extended periods post-construction.
The ancient timber unearthed not only demonstrates the vessel’s ingenious waterproofing using pitch but also indicates that it received subsequent applications of this protective substance at various harbors throughout its operational lifespan.
“In the field of archaeology, organic waterproofing agents often receive scant attention. Nevertheless, they are fundamental to maritime and riverine navigation and authentically represent historical naval technologies,” observes archaeometrist Armelle Charrié-Duhaut, affiliated with the University of Strasbourg in France.
“Upon examining the coatings, we identified two distinct types on this particular vessel: one composed of pine tar, also referred to as pitch, and another comprising a blend of pine tar and beeswax. The analysis of pollen embedded within the coating enabled the identification of plant species present in the immediate vicinity during the ship’s construction or refurbishment phases.”
The shipwreck, designated as Ilovik-Paržine 1, was located in 2016 off the coast of present-day Croatia, situated beneath a mere 4 meters (13 feet) of water. Similar to numerous ancient wrecks, it had fragmented and become entombed in rocks and sediment, consequently blending with the seabed and escaping detection.
This very burial served to preserve it. The typical decomposition processes, accelerated by microorganisms like bacteria and marine borers, necessitate the presence of oxygen. Submergence beneath the seafloor significantly curtails oxygen availability, thereby preserving at least portions of the wreck and its cargo of amphorae.
However, the truly significant discovery had yet to be made.
To maintain the operational integrity of wooden ships, mariners from antiquity to the present day have consistently applied protective coatings that repel water and mitigate or arrest the effects of aging.
The renowned Roman naturalist, Pliny the Elder, documented a substance derived from ship coatings, stating, “zopissa is the pitch, macerated with salt-water and wax, that has been scraped from off the bottoms of ships.”
Despite the fragmented state of Ilovik-Paržine 1, its timber had been sufficiently preserved to retain residual traces of these coatings. Charrié-Duhaut and her research associates procured samples and subjected them to a comprehensive series of analyses to ascertain the components utilized.
These investigative methods encompassed molecular, palynological, structural, and statistical assessments designed to determine the precise composition of each of the 10 coating samples extracted from the wreck.
“Certain geographical areas within the Adriatic possess distinctive attributes that motivated indigenous populations to develop unique maritime construction techniques,” communicates Charrié-Duhaut. “Investigations such as ours are essential in providing insight into these traditions, which stand as testament to considerable expertise and a diversity of practices.”
Pitch – a viscous tar yielded from heated pine resin – is a recognized constituent and was detected in all 10 samples. However, one of the samples exhibited the presence of beeswax, akin to the zopissa described by Pliny the Elder, incorporated to facilitate application.
While the inclusion of beeswax is not entirely unexpected, there was an additional element the researchers were keen to examine: pollen. Due to pitch’s inherent adhesiveness, it effectively traps pollen remnants from the regions where it was manufactured and applied.
Their examination of the pollen within each sample revealed a broad spectrum of flora originating from coastal areas and inland valleys across the Adriatic and Mediterranean regions, including pine, oak, juniper, olive, rockrose, and members of the daisy family, alongside riparian species such as alder and ash.
This complex amalgamation cannot be attributed to a singular origin point. It signifies the presence of Mediterranean coastal vegetation, shrublands, marshlands, and even elevated terrains. The most probable interpretation is that the waterproofing was applied on multiple occasions at divergent locations.
“While it is logically apparent that vessels undertaking extensive voyages require repairs, demonstrating this empirically is not straightforward,” states Charrié-Duhaut. “Pollen analysis has proven to be exceptionally valuable in distinguishing different coatings where molecular profiles were otherwise identical.”
These findings align with the statistical analysis, which indicated a minimum of four to five distinct layering applications. The team’s conclusions suggest that the vessel was constructed in Brundisium – presently known as Brindisi – in Italy, and received its initial waterproofing treatment there; however, it is highly probable that the treatment was reapplied at several distinct ports along its itinerary.
The discoveries furnish a captivating insight into the life and technological advancements of the Roman era, alongside the sophisticated methodologies employed to uphold quality in their operational instruments.
“Within the purview of naval archaeology in the northeastern Adriatic, a novel interdisciplinary methodology was implemented for the examination of the protective coating on the Roman Republican wreck Ilovik-Paržine 1,” the researchers articulate.
“This holistic approach permits us to perceive the vessel as an integrated entity, thereby comprehending the techniques utilized, the chronological phases of its existence, its voyages, and its environmental context, extending significantly beyond a mere materia.
The research outcomes have been formally published in Frontiers in Materials.
_detail_016.jpg){kind=link}