Pomègues, second half of the 3rd century AD
Country: France
Place: Calanque de l’Âne, south side of the island of Pomègues, Marseille (Bouches-du-Rhône), at a depth of 7 m
Coordinates (approximate): 43.26, 5.30
Type: Roman merchant ship
Identified: No
Dated: Second half of the 3rd century AD, based on the associated pottery (Gassend 1978).
Beam: Unknown.
Keel Length: Unknown.
Length Overall: Unknown.
Number of Masts: Unknown.
History of the wreck
In 1975 a team aboard the Archéonaute, the DRASM vessel, under the direction of Pomey and during the archaeological campaign on the Planier 3 wreck, discovered on the south side of the island of Pomègues (Marseille), in the Calanque de l’Âne, the remains of a timber structure about 5–6 m long, a coin and a decorated lamp. An excavation campaign was begun on the site for protection, since it lay in shallow water (7 m) in an area much frequented by sport divers. The wreck was dated by the associated pottery to the second half of the 3rd century, and may have sunk because of a fire on board (Gassend 1978).
Description of the site
The wreck lies at a depth of 7 m. The remains of the timber structure are about 5–6 m long (Figure 1).
Figure 1. Plan of the Pomègues wreck (after Gassend 1978: 102).
Cargo
Not reported; a coin and a decorated lamp were found.
Ballast
Not reported.
Anchors
Not reported.
Guns
Not applicable.
Iron concretions
Not reported. Nails were used to reinforce the scarfs and fasten the frames.
Hull Remains
These are the remains of the bottom of the hull, preserving part of the garboard strake, recognisable by its greater thickness (4.5 cm), and the second strake (Figure 1).
Keel, keelson and mast step
Not preserved.
Frames
The presence of two half-frames with a limber hole and one floor timber confirms that this is the bottom of the hull, with an alternation of floor timbers and half-frames. Only three framing timbers survive in situ, while up to 18 frames could be reconstructed from their impressions on the strakes, where the larger-diameter treenails fastening the frames can easily be distinguished from the smaller pegs locking the tenons. The frames are 15 cm moulded and 8 cm sided, with circular limber holes 4.5 cm in diameter. The room-and-space (malla) is 12 to 15 cm. They are fastened to the hull by vertical treenails (1.5–1.8 cm), driven from the outside in all but one case, together with nails. Only one treenail was used as a guide for a nail.1
Planking
The hull preserved 6 planking strakes, 20 to 22 cm wide and 3 to 4 cm thick, with mortises 5 cm deep, between 5 and 7 cm wide and 7 mm thick. The pegs were driven from the inside of the hull outwards, 1.1–1.2 cm in diameter, spaced 14–15 cm apart. Three bevelled scarfs joining lengths of planking strakes were also observed, reinforced by nails driven horizontally to improve the joint. The garboard strake is 4.5 cm thick.
Ceiling, thick stuff, and wales
Not reported.
Caulking
Not reported.
Size and scantlings
No estimate of the ship’s dimensions is given. The frames measure 8 × 15 cm at a room-and-space of 12–15 cm, and the planking is 3–4 cm thick.
Table 1. Scantling of the timber remains of the Pomègues Shipwreck
| Timber | Sided [cm] | Molded [cm] |
| Keel | – | – |
| Keelson | – | – |
| Maststep Mortise | – – | – – |
| Buttresses | – | – |
| Frames | 8 | 15 |
| Futtocks | – | – |
| Room-and-space At central frames | 12–15 | |
| Planking Garboard | 20–22 – | 3–4 4.5 |
| Ceiling | – | – |
| Main mast Ø Chock | – – | – – |
Planking: sided = width, moulded = thickness.
Wood
Not reported.
Bibliography
Gassend, J.-M. 1978. Vestiges d’une épave antique dans le port de Pomègues (Marseille). Archaeonautica 2: 101–107.
McGrail, S. 2001. Boats of the World: From the Stone Age to Medieval Times. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Notes
1 The nails are driven using the wooden treenails as guides, to prevent small leaks into the hull; this is a more watertight method (McGrail 2001: 151).