Download Pdf of Dissertation - Nautical Archaeology at Texas A&M ...

Based on the available data, the cargo weighs more than 16.59 tons. Since
complete measurements are available only for 36 elements, it may be assumed that the
entire cargo weighed closer to 30 tons.
It appears likely that the ship sank after hitting the shoals, which in the past might
have been even closer to the surface. One cannon lay nearby, testifying to another tragedy
of later date. 103
Conclusions
Having reviewed the history of the studies carried out on the five naves
lapidariae in the sea off Croton, two criteria emerge: the importance of this area for the
study of marble the trade in antiquity, and how little research has been published about
them. Following the first discoveries and Orsi’s pioneering efforts, only Roghi and
Pensabene have made new contributions to the study of these marble carriers. The results
of Freschi’s excavations, if published, would undoubtedly add invaluable data to clarify
the nature, date, and size of these five Roman marble carriers.
Of these wrecks, the Punta Scifo A shipwreck is the most endangered. Over the
100 years that have elapsed since the original discovery, important details regarding
events between 1908 and 1915 have faded from memory. Many data have already been
lost, artifacts Orsi mentioned are currently missing, and the underwater site itself has
almost entirely disappeared. The next two chapters will provide a detailed analysis of the
Punta Scifo A wreck site, of the artifacts brought to the surface and those still under
103 The cannon is located at a depth of 5.7 m, it is 2.08 m long, has a diameter at muzzle of 0.29 m, and a
bore of 0.18 m.
72