Uluburun: what do the objects from the shipwreck tell us about the origin of the ship and the identity of the crew?

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Uluburunwhat do the objects from the
shipwreck tell us about the origin of the ship
and the identity of the crew?
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The Objects
Unique two handled copper ingot
Pair of copper oxhide ingots
Copper bun ingot
Nefertiti gold scarab
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The Pottery
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The Anchors
Small limestone anchor
Large sandstone anchor
Raising the anchors
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The Origins of the Ship

• Suggestion that the last port of call was perhaps
  Ugarit and before that, a port on Cyprus.
• E. Cline the cargo of the ship is an important
  manifestation of trade between the LH/LM IIIA2
  Aegean and the greater Levant.
• Bachhuber elements of the Uluburun cargo appear
  to be manifestations of elite exchange, the ship
  seems to be sailing towards the Aegean.

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The Objects
Agate and faience beads
Mycenaean steatite lentoid seal (above) and
Egyptian steatite plaque.
Mycenaean sword (left) Canaanite dagger
(mid) Canaanite sword (right)
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The Origins of the Crew

• Bachhuber the nature of the Uluburun cargo can
  lay a foundation from which we can begin to
  speculate about the origins of its personnel.
• How do you determine the relationship between
  material culture ethnicity?
• Language
• Religion
• Identification with a specific territory
• A shared myth of origin

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The Objects
A wooden leaf from a writing tablet
Bronze female figurine with head, lower arms, and
feet clad in gold
Large gold chalice
Ceremonial scepter-mace
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Conclusion

• Bass the wreck appears to be an indication of a
  sea-route for the east to west transport of
  copper in the eastern Mediterranean throughout
  the Late Bronze Age
• Bachhuber there is enough evidence to suggest
  the ship was on route to the Aegean, from the
  Near East
• INA The presence of at least two Mycenaeans on
  board is indicated while the ship its crew are
  thought to be of Canaanite or Cypriot origin

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References

• BACHHUBER ,C. (2006) Aegean interest on the
  Uluburun ship. American Journal of Archaeology,
  Vol.110 No.3 pp.345-363.
• BASS, G. (1986) A Bronze Age shipwreck at Ulu
  Burun (Kas) 1984 campaign. American Journal of
  Archaeology, Vol. 90 No.3, pp.269-296.
• HALDANE, C. (1993) Direct evidence for organic
  cargoes in the Late Bronze Age. World
  Archaeology, Vol. 24, No. 3, pp.348-360.
• INSTITUTE OF NAUTICAL ARCHAEOLOGY, (2006) Bronze
  Age Shipwreck Excavation at Uluburun Online
  Available http//ina.tamu.edu/ Accessed 28
  October 2006.