Akko underwater exavation (Israel, 2008)
15/1/08 .- arqueologiamaritima@yahoogroups.com
AKKO UNDERWATER EXCAVATION
2008 SEASON
General background
The city of Akko lies at the northern extremity of Haifa Bay, on the coast of Israel, and is considered to be one of the most ancient cities of the land. The city has had many rulers and religions during its long history. It has a wall and many Crusader buildings and the feel of a mediaeval city, and has been proclaimed a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. It is fascinating to wander about the alleys and markets, visit the museum, watch the sea, and eat in the restaurants.
The city of Akko came under Ottoman rule at the beginning of the 16th century. In March 1799 the French army, led by Napoleon Bonaparte, besieged the city. Ahmed Jezzar Pasha, Akko's notorious ruler, was aided by an English squadron under the command of Sir William Sidney Smith, and the French forces abandoned the siege in May of that year.
Bonaparte’s siege, naval actions in 1775 and 1831, and the marine bombardment by the Anglo-Austrian fleet in 1840 brought ships of various fleets, from Western Europe or the Eastern Mediterranean, to Akko harbour. It is possible that Akko 1 was one of these ships.
Akko underwater excavations
We will excavate two sites:
The Akko 1 shipwreck, located 30 m north of the Tower of Flies, which is situated at the entrance of the Akko harbour. The wreck site is at depth of 4 m, about 100 m from shore. The site was discovered in 1966, and excavated for one week in October 1975 as part of a field course in underwater archaeology. It was excavated for three weeks in 2006 and four weeks in 2007.
An underwater structure (submerged rampart) stretching from the shore 300 m, almost to the Tower of Flies. It was excavated in 2006 and 2007.
Excavating at Akko
The excavation base will be located in the building of the Nautical College, with the walls of Akko as the backdrop to the west. In June the sea is warm (25ºC), and there is a reasonable visibility. Diving will be from boats.
Sea conditions have to be treated with respect. We must be prepared for bad weather, which however usually only lasts a couple of days. We are in constant contact with Poseidon, and hope he will be helpful.
Organization
The dig will be directed by Dr Yaacov (Yak) Kahanov, Head of the Recanati Institute for Maritime Studies, University of Haifa. Debbie Cvikel, a student in the Department of Maritime Civilizations at the University of Haifa, will supervise the Akko 1 site, which is her doctorate project. Amir Yurman, an MA student, will supervise the submerged rampart site.
The diving teams will consist of students of the University of Haifa, students from the Nautical College, and volunteers from Israel and abroad.
The technical side of the diving will be run by Steve Breitstein of the University of Haifa Diving Workshop.
Dates of dig
Four weeks, from 1st to 27th June 2008.
Timetable
The work week is from Sunday to Friday (which is a half-day).
We start at 07.30 and finish at 17.15, weather permitting. Usually we start the pump at about 08.45 and stop it at 16.00. The day starts with a briefing, and ends with a review of the day’s activities.
The daily work schedule would usually consist of two 60-minute dives, and two shifts of the following: safety boat, shore officer and tank-filling. Boat-drivers operate whenever required. Everyone joins in setting up the gear in the morning, and breaking it down in the evening.
Time off
We do not work on Friday afternoons or Saturdays, and can help you plan your days off. On Monday, 9th June, we will not dive, as it is a holiday, and a trip will be organized. Details will be given during the excavation. There will be time off for trips, etc, if the weather goes bad, but we are praying for good weather, and we hope you will be under water all the time.
Length of stay
Naturally, the longer you stay the more you get out of the dig, and the more chance you will have of being in on the big discovery. A week should be the shortest period you come for.
Cost
We do not charge a fee, but the costs of transport, accommodation and meals off site are borne by the participant.
Money
The local currency is the New Israeli Shekel (NIS). Approximate exchange rates are: £=NIS 7.60, €=NIS 5.70, $=NIS 3.85. Foreign currency can be changed at a post office or change agents, which are cheaper than banks. All major credit cards are honoured everywhere (but Maestro only at a few places).
Diving qualifications and conditions
All participants must be certified divers, and must present a certification card or logbook. All divers must be insured for treatment of dive-related injuries. Any diver unable to document a dive within the last six months will be required to make a refresher dive with our instructor.
Letters of Introduction
We will send each foreign participant a letter of introduction in Hebrew, to show to the Border Police on arrival. This will help you get through the security check, although we’re sure that none of you are suspicious characters.
We will also send a letter stating that any diving gear you may bring in is for the purpose of working in an authorized expedition, and is not subject to a customs deposit.
Transportation
Air. International flights go to Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv. (Try to take a flight which doesn't arrive between Friday noon and Saturday evening, which is the Sabbath, when public transport does not operate).
Train. The best way to get to Akko is by train directly from the Airport Terminal. Take the train for Nahariya. Trains run night and day, about every hour, and during the day every 30 minutes. However, there are no trains from Friday afternoon till Saturday evening. The fare is NIS 42.
You take a taxi from the railway station to the Hostel. If you arrive when there are no trains running you can take a minibus operated by the Amal Taxi Co to Haifa. From Haifa you will have to take a special taxi to Akko. This is expensive.
Taxis. There are three kinds of taxi:
1. Minibuses operated by the Amal Taxi Co. These run from the Airport Terminal to Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and Haifa. The fare to any address in Haifa is NIS 56. You will have to wait till all 10 seats are filled, though sometimes the cost of a missing passenger is shared between the others.
2. 'Special' taxis – these are normal taxis. There have been cases of taxi drivers taking people for a ride in the wrong sense, so always insist on the driver using the meter. The fare from Akko station to the site is about NIS 25.
3. Sherut taxis. These run on urban and interurban bus routes, cost slightly more than the bus, and run after the buses stop.
Buses. The best way to travel around if the train doesn't take you to where you want to go. Only a few bus routes (mostly in and around Haifa) run on the Sabbath.
Accommodation
There are three recommended options for accommodation:
1. Palm Beach Hotel, situated about 500 m south of the excavation site. Approximate costs per room will be $110 for a single, and $140 for a double per night. Breakfast included, as well as free entry to the hotel facilities (e.g. spa, swimming pool, sauna, gym).
2. Akko Gate Hostel, situated in the Old City of Akko, about 5 minutes' walk from the excavation site. The rooms have showers, air-conditioning and other amenities. Approximate costs per person for a triple shared room will be NIS 90 (~$23), a double NIS 110 (~$28), and a single NIS 180 (~$45) per night. Breakfast costs NIS 20 (~$5).
3. The Nautical College at the site. The rooms are for 4 people (we have one room for boys and one for girls), for NIS 45 (about $11) per night per person. The downside is that there is a 22.30 curfew, and no alcohol is allowed on the premises.
Check-in and check-out are at the reception of both the Hotel and the Hostel by the participant, who should make sure to settle up before leaving. Bookings will be made by the excavation staff, so please give us dates of arrival and departure, and sharing requirements, if special, well before you come.
Phone cards
If your mobile phone doesn’t work here, it would be a good idea to buy the cheapest (NIS 17) phone card at the post office or a machine at the airport, in case you get stuck.
Food
There is a market in the Old City and supermarkets in town. There are restaurants in the Old City and on the waterfront. In addition, light refreshments are provided on site, so nobody goes hungry.
Weather
June is the beginning of summer – warm (about 28ºC midday), cloudless, except if we have a storm. Sea temperature will be 24º–25 º C. Mosquitoes arrive at sunset. Bring sun-block, hats and mosquito-repellant.
Diving gear
We will supply tanks and weights, and can also rent any gear required, but bring your own if you prefer. Equipment repairs can be made on the spot. We recommend 3–5 mm wetsuits, giving full cover for protection from the sun and to discourage flesh-nibbling fish (not sharks, but irritating anyway), and jellyfish.
Health
You should have health insurance. Tap water is fit for drinking, although there is a fashion for bottled water. We have first aid available on site. For major emergencies the ambulance and hospital systems are first-rate.
Various
Clothes: informal, minimal on site (but cover up against the sun). If you visit Holy Places you must be decent.
NOTE:
Some of the information in this sheet may change, but we will issue updates as necessary.
Contacts
For all information and queries please contact:
John Tresman: e-mail: corjon@012.net.il, mobile phone: 052 67 67 602, or
Debbie Cvikel: e-mail: dcvikel@research.haifa.ac.il, mobile phone: 050 630 69 68.
2008 SEASON
General background
The city of Akko lies at the northern extremity of Haifa Bay, on the coast of Israel, and is considered to be one of the most ancient cities of the land. The city has had many rulers and religions during its long history. It has a wall and many Crusader buildings and the feel of a mediaeval city, and has been proclaimed a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. It is fascinating to wander about the alleys and markets, visit the museum, watch the sea, and eat in the restaurants.
The city of Akko came under Ottoman rule at the beginning of the 16th century. In March 1799 the French army, led by Napoleon Bonaparte, besieged the city. Ahmed Jezzar Pasha, Akko's notorious ruler, was aided by an English squadron under the command of Sir William Sidney Smith, and the French forces abandoned the siege in May of that year.
Bonaparte’s siege, naval actions in 1775 and 1831, and the marine bombardment by the Anglo-Austrian fleet in 1840 brought ships of various fleets, from Western Europe or the Eastern Mediterranean, to Akko harbour. It is possible that Akko 1 was one of these ships.
Akko underwater excavations
We will excavate two sites:
The Akko 1 shipwreck, located 30 m north of the Tower of Flies, which is situated at the entrance of the Akko harbour. The wreck site is at depth of 4 m, about 100 m from shore. The site was discovered in 1966, and excavated for one week in October 1975 as part of a field course in underwater archaeology. It was excavated for three weeks in 2006 and four weeks in 2007.
An underwater structure (submerged rampart) stretching from the shore 300 m, almost to the Tower of Flies. It was excavated in 2006 and 2007.
Excavating at Akko
The excavation base will be located in the building of the Nautical College, with the walls of Akko as the backdrop to the west. In June the sea is warm (25ºC), and there is a reasonable visibility. Diving will be from boats.
Sea conditions have to be treated with respect. We must be prepared for bad weather, which however usually only lasts a couple of days. We are in constant contact with Poseidon, and hope he will be helpful.
Organization
The dig will be directed by Dr Yaacov (Yak) Kahanov, Head of the Recanati Institute for Maritime Studies, University of Haifa. Debbie Cvikel, a student in the Department of Maritime Civilizations at the University of Haifa, will supervise the Akko 1 site, which is her doctorate project. Amir Yurman, an MA student, will supervise the submerged rampart site.
The diving teams will consist of students of the University of Haifa, students from the Nautical College, and volunteers from Israel and abroad.
The technical side of the diving will be run by Steve Breitstein of the University of Haifa Diving Workshop.
Dates of dig
Four weeks, from 1st to 27th June 2008.
Timetable
The work week is from Sunday to Friday (which is a half-day).
We start at 07.30 and finish at 17.15, weather permitting. Usually we start the pump at about 08.45 and stop it at 16.00. The day starts with a briefing, and ends with a review of the day’s activities.
The daily work schedule would usually consist of two 60-minute dives, and two shifts of the following: safety boat, shore officer and tank-filling. Boat-drivers operate whenever required. Everyone joins in setting up the gear in the morning, and breaking it down in the evening.
Time off
We do not work on Friday afternoons or Saturdays, and can help you plan your days off. On Monday, 9th June, we will not dive, as it is a holiday, and a trip will be organized. Details will be given during the excavation. There will be time off for trips, etc, if the weather goes bad, but we are praying for good weather, and we hope you will be under water all the time.
Length of stay
Naturally, the longer you stay the more you get out of the dig, and the more chance you will have of being in on the big discovery. A week should be the shortest period you come for.
Cost
We do not charge a fee, but the costs of transport, accommodation and meals off site are borne by the participant.
Money
The local currency is the New Israeli Shekel (NIS). Approximate exchange rates are: £=NIS 7.60, €=NIS 5.70, $=NIS 3.85. Foreign currency can be changed at a post office or change agents, which are cheaper than banks. All major credit cards are honoured everywhere (but Maestro only at a few places).
Diving qualifications and conditions
All participants must be certified divers, and must present a certification card or logbook. All divers must be insured for treatment of dive-related injuries. Any diver unable to document a dive within the last six months will be required to make a refresher dive with our instructor.
Letters of Introduction
We will send each foreign participant a letter of introduction in Hebrew, to show to the Border Police on arrival. This will help you get through the security check, although we’re sure that none of you are suspicious characters.
We will also send a letter stating that any diving gear you may bring in is for the purpose of working in an authorized expedition, and is not subject to a customs deposit.
Transportation
Air. International flights go to Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv. (Try to take a flight which doesn't arrive between Friday noon and Saturday evening, which is the Sabbath, when public transport does not operate).
Train. The best way to get to Akko is by train directly from the Airport Terminal. Take the train for Nahariya. Trains run night and day, about every hour, and during the day every 30 minutes. However, there are no trains from Friday afternoon till Saturday evening. The fare is NIS 42.
You take a taxi from the railway station to the Hostel. If you arrive when there are no trains running you can take a minibus operated by the Amal Taxi Co to Haifa. From Haifa you will have to take a special taxi to Akko. This is expensive.
Taxis. There are three kinds of taxi:
1. Minibuses operated by the Amal Taxi Co. These run from the Airport Terminal to Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and Haifa. The fare to any address in Haifa is NIS 56. You will have to wait till all 10 seats are filled, though sometimes the cost of a missing passenger is shared between the others.
2. 'Special' taxis – these are normal taxis. There have been cases of taxi drivers taking people for a ride in the wrong sense, so always insist on the driver using the meter. The fare from Akko station to the site is about NIS 25.
3. Sherut taxis. These run on urban and interurban bus routes, cost slightly more than the bus, and run after the buses stop.
Buses. The best way to travel around if the train doesn't take you to where you want to go. Only a few bus routes (mostly in and around Haifa) run on the Sabbath.
Accommodation
There are three recommended options for accommodation:
1. Palm Beach Hotel, situated about 500 m south of the excavation site. Approximate costs per room will be $110 for a single, and $140 for a double per night. Breakfast included, as well as free entry to the hotel facilities (e.g. spa, swimming pool, sauna, gym).
2. Akko Gate Hostel, situated in the Old City of Akko, about 5 minutes' walk from the excavation site. The rooms have showers, air-conditioning and other amenities. Approximate costs per person for a triple shared room will be NIS 90 (~$23), a double NIS 110 (~$28), and a single NIS 180 (~$45) per night. Breakfast costs NIS 20 (~$5).
3. The Nautical College at the site. The rooms are for 4 people (we have one room for boys and one for girls), for NIS 45 (about $11) per night per person. The downside is that there is a 22.30 curfew, and no alcohol is allowed on the premises.
Check-in and check-out are at the reception of both the Hotel and the Hostel by the participant, who should make sure to settle up before leaving. Bookings will be made by the excavation staff, so please give us dates of arrival and departure, and sharing requirements, if special, well before you come.
Phone cards
If your mobile phone doesn’t work here, it would be a good idea to buy the cheapest (NIS 17) phone card at the post office or a machine at the airport, in case you get stuck.
Food
There is a market in the Old City and supermarkets in town. There are restaurants in the Old City and on the waterfront. In addition, light refreshments are provided on site, so nobody goes hungry.
Weather
June is the beginning of summer – warm (about 28ºC midday), cloudless, except if we have a storm. Sea temperature will be 24º–25 º C. Mosquitoes arrive at sunset. Bring sun-block, hats and mosquito-repellant.
Diving gear
We will supply tanks and weights, and can also rent any gear required, but bring your own if you prefer. Equipment repairs can be made on the spot. We recommend 3–5 mm wetsuits, giving full cover for protection from the sun and to discourage flesh-nibbling fish (not sharks, but irritating anyway), and jellyfish.
Health
You should have health insurance. Tap water is fit for drinking, although there is a fashion for bottled water. We have first aid available on site. For major emergencies the ambulance and hospital systems are first-rate.
Various
Clothes: informal, minimal on site (but cover up against the sun). If you visit Holy Places you must be decent.
NOTE:
Some of the information in this sheet may change, but we will issue updates as necessary.
Contacts
For all information and queries please contact:
John Tresman: e-mail: corjon@012.net.il, mobile phone: 052 67 67 602, or
Debbie Cvikel: e-mail: dcvikel@research.haifa.ac.il, mobile phone: 050 630 69 68.
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Comentarios
1
I was wondering 92009whether if there will be another survey of the Akko this year, as I am very much interested in participating in this project. Thank you for your help.
2009 season?
I was wondering 92009whether if there will be another survey of the Akko this year, as I am very much interested in participating in this project. Thank you for your help.
Comentario realizado por
Chris Griffiths.
26/3/09 12:10h