The Characterization of Waterlogged Archaeological Wood: The Three Roman Ships Found in Naples (Italy)*

Abstract

Three apparently well‐preserved shipwrecks dating back to Roman times were brought to light near Piazza Municipio in Naples (Italy), during the excavation for the construction of Line 1 of the subway. The shipwrecks were covered by marine sand and silt, below the water table. In order to establish the nature and the extent of wood degradation and, therefore, determine how best to preserve the shipwrecks, a diagnostic investigation was carried out. The study involved the identification of wood species, chemical characterization of the residue component and physical and micro‐morphological characterization.

Revealing Iberian woodcraft: conserved wooden artefacts from south-east Spain

“…It is likely that, from deep in prehistoric times, many domestic, artisanal or ritual tools were made in perishable materials such as wood (Pétrequin 1989;Bosch et al 2000;Gerritsen 2003;Louwe Kooijmans & Kooistra 2006;Pillonel 2007). However, in temperate climates these materials are preserved only under specific conditions (Perini 1990;Lull et al 1999;Bosch et al 2000;Capretti et al 2008;Figueiral et al 2008). It is therefore often necessary to develop interpretation by comparison with written, iconographic 1 and ethnographic sources or by reference to associated artefacts, e.g.…”

Madeiras históricas na carpintaria naval de canoas baleeiras da costa catarinense

“…Estudo realizado com a identificação de espécies vegetais utilizadas em estruturas construtivas de navios de diferentes períodos históricos da Europa aponta a presença de vários tipos de madeiras empregadas na construção de uma mesma embarcação, o que corrobora os resultados aqui encontrados (Capretti et al 2008 (Giachi et al 2003;Capretti et al 2008). A utilização da madeira na atividade da carpintaria naval requer a seleção de diferentes espécies, considerando as tensões mecânicas, as condições ambientais do local de navegação e o grau de exposição com a água, que cada parte da embarcação estará sujeita.…”

Analytical Aspects of Waterlogged Wood in Historical Shipwrecks

“…By studying stained wood sections cut in three different directions relative to the wood fibers the type and degree of microbial deterioration can also be identified and characterized. 11,27,28 …”