Tiboulen de Maïre, AD 130–150
Country: France
Place: South-east of the roadstead of Marseille, near the northernmost island of the Riou archipelago (Bouches-du-Rhône), at a depth of 51 m
Coordinates (approximate): 43.21, 5.32
Type: Large Roman merchant ship
Identified: No
Dated: 2nd century AD; wrecked between AD 130 and 150.
Beam: Unknown; the hull now appears about 12 m wide from bilge to bilge, but one side has collapsed.
Keel Length: Unknown.
Length Overall: More than 30 m (Ximénès 2007: 75), possibly 34–35 m.
Number of Masts: One mast step, seated on two sister keelsons, is attested.
History of the wreck
The Tiboulen de Maïre wreck is a wreck of the 2nd century (sunk between AD 130 and 150). Judging by the measurements taken of the hull, it was a ship of considerable size for its period, more than 30 m long (Ximénès 2007: 75) and possibly up to 34–35 m, and it must have had a large burden. Although a large part of its hull is well preserved, thanks to the silt in which it lies and its considerable depth, it has not received the attention it deserves, since it is not easy to study. Moreover, a quick comparison with the architectural unit of the Saint Gervais 3 makes it seem a site with nothing more to contribute. There is no published work on the Tiboulen de Maïre wreck,1 only notes on interventions in the Bilan Scientifique, so the only information comes from the DRASSM archive.2 Its discovery in the 1970s and its excavation have been linked to S. Ximénès who, voluntarily and with collaborators, has excavated it regularly since 2003.
Description of the site
The wreck lies at a depth of 51 m in a silty sediment. The hull has a fairly flat bottom, to which a precise width could not be assigned, since during the excavations part of the side, which had been standing, seems to have broken, now giving the impression that the ship’s beam is almost 12 m from bilge to bilge (Figure 1).
Figure 1. Dimensioned sketch of an area of the hull excavated in 2011 at frames M35, M34 and M33, coinciding with the wale (préceinte) (drawing: C. de Juan Fuertes).
Cargo
The ship carried mainly Dressel 20 and Beltrán IIB amphorae, with common ware and other pottery described as Iberian (understood as a geographical attribution). Over the ceiling lay dunnage of branches of various sizes for stowing the cargo; nothing of it now remains.
Ballast
Not reported.
Anchors
Not reported.
Guns
Not applicable.
Iron concretions
Not reported. Bronze nails with bent points were recorded in some areas.
Hull Remains
A large part of the hull is preserved in good condition. The hull has a fairly flat bottom.
Keel, keelson and mast step
The keel, of large section, was sawn at its joint with the concave stem and raised to the surface; a foundation votive coin was found in the trait de Jupiter (rayo de Júpiter) scarf. The mast step, apparently torn from the wreck in an accident during the excavation, was seated on two sister keelsons, one of them reused, judging by the mortises it had.
Frames
There seems to be an alternation of floor timbers and half-frames along the hull (Figure 1). The frames observed were fastened to the hull only by wooden treenails, although in other areas there was evidence of bronze nails with bent points. The floor timbers have two circular limber holes on either side of the keel.
Planking
The thickness of the hull could be measured: 6 cm in the plank next to a wale (whose height in the hull is unknown), 5 cm being usual elsewhere. The widths of the planking strakes in the excavated area varied, with values of 18 and 23 cm. The outer face of the hull, which the author was able to observe by lighting it, had remains of a greasy red resin, which seemed to coat the outside like a protective paint (Figure 2).
Figure 2. Dimensioned sketch of the section of a wale in the area of the hull excavated in 2011 (drawing: C. de Juan Fuertes).
Ceiling, thick stuff, and wales
The ceiling alternated fixed stringers nailed to the frames and removable ceiling strakes, over which lay a dunnage of branches. A wale was recorded at frames M33–M35 (Figures 1 and 2).
Caulking
The outer face of the hull had remains of a greasy red resin, apparently a protective coating.
Size and scantlings
A ship of considerable size for its period, more than 30 m long and possibly 34–35 m, with a large burden. The planking is 5–6 cm thick.
Table 1. Scantling of the timber remains of the Tiboulen de Maïre Shipwreck
| Timber | Sided [cm] | Molded [cm] |
| Keel | – | – |
| Keelson | – | – |
| Maststep Mortise | – – | – – |
| Buttresses | – | – |
| Floor timbers | – | – |
| Futtocks | – | – |
| Room-and-space At central frames | – | |
| Planking | 18–23 | 5–6 |
| Ceiling | – | – |
| Main mast Ø Chock | – – | – – |
Planking: sided = width, moulded = thickness.
Wood
Not reported.
Bibliography
Ximénès, S. 2007. [Full reference to be completed.]
Notes
1 It seems that Ximénès will shortly publish a monograph.
2 Since this is unpublished work by Ximénès, only some of the observations and dimensioned sketches made by the author during the August 2011 campaign, in which a small area of the hull was excavated and recorded, are given here.