CLASSICAL ASSOCIATION OF IRELAND
November 2016
The CAI Presidential Address 2016 The Hon. Ms Justice Caroline Costello: ‘Ancient Shipwrecks and New Insights’
The Hon. Ms Justice Caroline Costello, Honorary President of the Classical Association of Ireland, with the evening’s respondent, former Honorary President Professor Andrew Smith (Photos: Selga Medenieks)
The CAI Presidential Address took place at UCD on Friday, November 25. The Chairman Isabella Bolger invited the Honorary President for 2016, the Honourable Ms Justice Caroline Costello, Judge of the High Court, to address the members. The lecture title was ‘Ancient Shipwrecks and New Insights’. This was a very interesting talk about the underwater archaeological exploration of a wreck located in Italy, on an off-shore reef in the waters of Isola del Giglio, in the Tuscan Archipelago. The wreck was pre-classical, dated to circa 600 BC. It was found on the north-west side of the island at a depth of 50m in the bay of Campese, in 1961. The site had been looted and 2
was finally investigated in the 1980s by the underwater archaeologist Mensun Bound, Oxford University. It is believed that the ship was Etruscan. The ship revealed much about ancient ship-building. Evidence shows that the wooden planks of the hull were either laced or sewn together. Cargo included goods from Greece, Phoenicia and Etruria. Amongst the artefacts recovered were Etruscan, Samian and Phoenician amphoras and pottery, a writing tablet, bronze helmet, carpenter’s calipers and musical flutes. A number of the amphoras were filled with olives, while others contained pine pitch. President Costello conducted research at the wreck site during the 1980s excavations. She gave a very interesting account of her experience while working there. The audience showed great appreciation for a fascinating, first-hand account of this extremely interesting experience. A vote of thanks on behalf of the Association was given by Professor Andrew Smith. The Association is committed to encouraging study of Classics: languages, archaeology, philosophy, literature and history. In this regard it awards two medals annually in recognition of achievements made by secondlevel students. Each year these awards are presented to the winners by the CAI Honorary President at the Presidential Address event. Established in memory of Jack Henderson, a distinguished and reforming inspector of Classics in the Department of Education, the Jack Henderson medal was awarded to Malachi Hannon of Gonzaga College. Malachi is the 2016 student with the highest mark for Ancient Greek in the Junior Certificate Examination. His teacher is Aryn Penn. The Centenary Medal, established on the centenary of the Classical Association of Ireland in 2008, was awarded to Brian Anthony McGlone of Blackrock College. Brian is the 2016