The Search for the Etruscan Wreck of Giglio Island by Timothy Dingemans
In August 1982, a 6th century BC wreck was discovered and Oxford University MARE was baptized. learn more he would have to talk to the wreck' s discoverer, Reg Vallintine, whose name was well known to Mensun. Mensun Bound realized that if this find was indeed from a wreck, rather than an isolated item of rubbish thrown overboard from a passing ship, then this would be a site of major archaeological importance. Only a few remnants had ever been found from ships of the Archaic period and, if any major assemblage of timbers remained , this wreck would represent the oldest deepwater hull ever found. Mensun and Reg met in the But the story really goes back to 1961 when Reg Vallintine (then a summer of 1981 at Reg's London home. An examination of Reg's young man fresh out of the army, old photographs confirmed a cargo now a famous figure in the underfrom at least three different parts water world) was running a diving of the Mediterranean. Reg agreed school on the island of Giglio, a that Mensun should mount an exsmall sun-drenched atoll some 11 pedition to try to locate the wreck miles off the coast of Tuscany, and establish whether any mate-¡ North Italy. It was here, while leadrial survived. Reg was to be the ing a group of holiday divers, that Chief Diver and Mensun the Reg first happened upon the wreck that was later to be billed as the Project Director. On his return to Oxford, "Oldest Deep-Ocean Hull in the World." Mensun went to the Lincoln Professor of Classical Art and ArOn the northwest coast of the chaeology, Sir John Boardman, island, a short distance offshore, and showed him the photographs. there is an underwater " island," Instantly understanding their imwhich rises to within a couple of portance, Sir John offered his help, meters of the surface; it was at the base of this reef that Reg and his An artist's depiction of the 600nc Giglio wreck. When and indeed has been of immeasurable support to MARE ever since. companions found scattered am- discovered, it was the oldest deep-ocean hull everfound. The project was given the full phora remains and other treasures Mensun Bound was working. One day support of the World Ship Trust, thus from antiquity. News of the discovery spread and he and his associate (now wife) Joanna making the undertaking a collaboration soon divers began to arrive on the island Yellowlees had to make a visit to a between the Trust, the University and intent upon plunder. In these early days, person living in the south of England. the Superintendency of Archaeology for maritime archaeology was still strug- Unbeknown to Mensun and Joanna, he Tuscany. gling to establish itself and the authori- had been one of the divers taking antiqThe participation of the World Ship ties were powerless to act. Reg, how- uities from the wreck back in the early Trust gave the project badly needed credever, aware of the destruction being sixties. On the top of his bookshelf at ibility; but many important figures in the wrought, carefully noted, and where pos- ceiling level , Mensun spotted a fragment ' British archaeological establishment resible photographed, the artifacts that the of pottery that he immediately recog- mained unconvinced of the vessel's exdivers were taking. He even tried to set nized as the handle of an Etruscan am- istence. So Mensun and Joanna returned up a museum on the island, starting with phora. Aware of its potential signifi- to Reg Vallintine 's logbooks and notes a couple of mysterious copper objects cance, Mensun inquired as to its origin. in search of clues to the often very cold that, for want of a better word, he called The fragment was brought down from trails to more information and actual "shields." Unfortunately , this initiative the shelf and for the first time in his life artifacts from the 1961/62 pickings. failed: on his return to Giglio the follow- he heard about the island of Giglio. He One major piece, however, continued ing year for the start of the new diving was told, however, that if he wanted to to elude them-a beautifully decorated They had been swimming for a long time. Soon they would have to head back to the sunshine above. It looked like another frustrating, unsuccessful dive. Then they saw it: a spread of pottery consisting of no more than four or five amphora fragments. It was not much, but it was the evidence they had to have ifthe project was to continue. Proof! It was August 1982. The Giglio Project had begun and Oxford University MARE (Maritime Archaeological Research) had been baptized.
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season, he found that only the "shields" remained-the other artifacts had all disappeared. His dream , as quoted in London Diver magazine, of a place where "after nearly 3000 years, the work of ancient potters and artists could be seen again" would have to wait. In fact, it took almost a quarter of a century. Our story now moves to Oxford University, where the young archaeologist
SEA HISTORY 67 , AUTUMN 1993