Tantura Lagoon Shipwrecks

The natural harbor of Tantura Lagoon is located along the Mediterranean coast south of Haifa, Israel, and considered the harbor of the ancient settlement at Tel Dor and its immediate surroundings. The harbor had been in use for at least 4000 years judging from the artifacts retrieved from the port’s excavations. Despite its sheltering geography, entering the harbor was difficult due to unpredictable winds and tricky entrance configuration around two islands. This combination of factors led to many shipwrecks, as already noted in a 1664 eye-witness account of a ship being wrecked by the weather described by the Chevalier d’Arvieux. Evidence of shipwrecks amidst the thick anaerobic layer of sand was found in 1983; subsequent excavations have recovered remains of seven shipwrecks.

Rendering from the VIZIN virtual reality model of the Tantura B wreck view northwest

View along the keel of the remains of the Tantura B wreck being excavated photo ©1996 Institute of Nautical Archaeology - used with permission.

Reference
Page Created: October 5, 2004
Page Updated: October 5, 2005
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Page Author: The Institute for the Visualization of History