16th International Symposium on Boat & Ship Archaeology

30 16 th International Symposium on Boat & Ship Archaeology Alberto Bravo-Morata Rodríguez 1 & Timmy Gambin 2 1 University of Malta, Malta; Aix-Marseille University, France 2 University of Malta, Malta The Phoenician Shipwreck off Xlendi Bay, Gozo – initial observations, size and shipbuilding technologies used In 2007, during an offshore remote sensing survey aimed at mapping Malta’s Un- derwater Cultural Heritage, a small anomaly was noted in the sonar data. Since then, a team led by the University of Malta has been studying what turned out to be an extremely important discovery. Found at a depth of 110 m off Xlendi Bay in Gozo (Malta), the Phoenician shipwreck consists of an intact and well-preserved mixed cargo of amphorae & stone grinding stones datable to the 7 th century BC. The cargo is shedding new light on the economic history and trade networks of the Central Mediterranean during the Archaic period. In addition to the archaeological benefits – including the study of hitherto unknown ceramic typologies - a wide variety of scientific tests done in the post excavation phases are being conducted. This shipwreck presents other challenges and opportunities regarding methodologies and accessibility. This paper focuses on a particular aspect of the site – the ship itself. Using the limited evidence available so far, we will present aspects related to the ship’s size, the wood used for its construction as well as construction techniques. The authors will also present avenues for future research and the potential impact of this on a better understanding of Phoenician ships and shipbuilding.