Laurons 1, 3rd–4th century AD
Country: France
Place: Anse des Laurons, Martigues, near Fos-sur-Mer (Bouches-du-Rhône), at a depth of about 2.30 m
Coordinates (approximate): 43.36, 5.04
Type: Small Roman vessel
Identified: No
Dated: Imprecisely, between the 3rd and 4th centuries AD.
Beam: Unknown.
Keel Length: Unknown.
Length Overall: Unknown; a short vessel, with 13.10 m of hull preserved.
Number of Masts: One mast step, supported by two sister keelsons, is attested.
History of the wreck
Wreck I of Laurons is located at Martigues, in a cove near Fos-sur-Mer, in an area of coastal landscapes full of lagoons and marshes. It was excavated by Ximénès with test trenches in 1978 and 1981, and given a very imprecise date between the 3rd and 4th centuries AD.
Description of the site
The wreck lies at a depth of about 2.30 m. These are the remains of a short vessel, of which 13.10 m of hull by 4 m are preserved.
Cargo
Not reported.
Ballast
At the time of its sinking the ship carried 6 t of ballast in the stern area.
Anchors
Not reported.
Guns
Not applicable.
Iron concretions
Bronze nails 5 to 13 cm long were observed, together with the remains of others of iron that have disappeared.
Hull Remains
A section of hull 13.10 × 4 m was preserved, with the two sister keelsons, part of the sternpost and 35 frames. The bilge pump had disappeared, but its position could be located at frames M134 and M135, at the joint with the sternpost.
Keel, keelson and mast step
The two parallel sister keelsons that supported the mast step were preserved. The starboard one was 7 m long and the port one 5 m, 20 and 22 cm wide respectively and 12 cm high. In the trait de Jupiter (rayo de Júpiter) scarf joining the keel to the stem, a thin copper sheet had been placed, perhaps to improve the watertightness of the joint. 1.85 m of the sternpost were preserved, about 25 cm wide. It had a notched rabbet 4 cm wide and 8 cm deep (Figure 1).
Figure 1. Section of the keel and the sternpost of the Laurons 1 wreck, scale 1:5 (after Ximénès and Moerman 1987: 173).
Frames
Thirty-five frames were excavated, with sided dimensions varying between 10 and 18 cm and moulded dimensions of 12 to 20 cm; frame no. 21 is a reused keel. The room-and-space (malla) varies between 10 and 17 cm. The floor timbers have circular limber holes 6 cm in diameter over the keel, but rectangular ones in other parts of the hull.
Planking
The garboard strake, 4.7 cm thick, and the other strakes of the hull are of pine. The mortises (their location is not specified) measure on average 7 cm wide, 7 cm deep and 8 mm thick, and numerous wood shavings were observed inside them. The locking pegs (Quercus ilex) are 4.8 cm long, with an upper diameter of 1.2 cm and 1 cm at the base, from which it is deduced that they were driven from the inside of the hull. The tenons (Quercus ilex) are 13 cm long, 7 cm wide and between 6 and 8 mm thick.
Ceiling, thick stuff, and wales
Not reported.
Caulking
A thin copper sheet was placed in the scarf between the keel and the stem, perhaps to improve watertightness.
Size and scantlings
A short vessel, with robust frames (10–18 × 12–20 cm) at a tight room-and-space of 10–17 cm.
Table 1. Scantling of the timber remains of the Laurons 1 Shipwreck
| Timber | Sided [cm] | Molded [cm] |
| Keel | – | – |
| Sternpost | c. 25 | – |
| Keelson (sister keelsons) | 20–22 | 12 |
| Maststep Mortise | – – | – – |
| Buttresses | – | – |
| Frames | 10–18 | 12–20 |
| Futtocks | – | – |
| Room-and-space At central frames | 10–17 | |
| Planking Garboard | – – | – 4.7 |
| Ceiling | – | – |
| Main mast Ø Chock | – – | – – |
The sister keelsons are 7 m (starboard) and 5 m (port) long.
Wood
Planking: pine. Tenons and pegs: holm oak (Quercus ilex).
Bibliography
Ximénès, S. and Moerman, M. 1987. Les épaves I, III et IV du port romain de l’anse des Laurons (Martigues, Bouches-du-Rhône). Cahiers d’Archéologie Subaquatique 6: 171–182.