Yassiada 7th Century Byzantine Shipwreck Excavation

Site & Excavation

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ya7-55.JPG (174676 bytes) This harbor barge from Izmir, seen here moored over the site,  served as the excavation's diving platform. The excavation base camp can be seen in the foreground. (slide# YA7-55) Photo: INA.
Going out to the site in 1961. INA excavation team members initially had to commute to the Yassiada site from Bodrum (about a two hour trip) each day.  (slide# YA7-20) Photo: INA. ya7-20.JPG (147588 bytes)
ya7-11.JPG (142882 bytes) 1964 excavation team, many wearing new "Bodrum Athletic Club" t-shirts. (slide# YA7-11) Photo: INA.
Close up view of the diving barge. All diving related operations were conducted from this vessel. (slide# YA7-60) Photo: INA. ya7-60.JPG (203991 bytes)
ya7-74.JPG (175142 bytes) General shot of the diving barge during the excavation. Susan Womer Katzev (center) and Eric Ryan (right) sit among the dive equipment and the one-man recompression chamber. (slide# YA7-74) Photo: INA.
The one-man recompression chamber. Larry Joline is shown here undergoing treatment for decompression sickness (the bends). Fortunately, this was the only case of  'the bends' during the excavation. (slide# YA7-108) Photo: INA. ya7-108.JPG (94128 bytes)
ya7-89.JPG (183921 bytes) 1961. Several divers preparing to enter the water from the barge. (slide# YA7-89) Photo: INA.
Chief diver Claude Duthuit. (slide# YA7-49) Photo: INA. ya7-49.JPG (125431 bytes).
ya7-125.JPG (161253 bytes) The arrival of the research submarine 'Asherah' in Bodrum. (slide# YA7-125) Photo: INA.
Diagram of the 'Asherah'. (slide# YA7-141) Photo: INA. ya7-141.JPG (89596 bytes)
ya7-121.JPG (139155 bytes) Anne Bass christening the 'Asherah'. (slide# YA7-121) Photo: INA.
Project director and INA President George Bass at the launching of the 'Asherah'. (slide# YA7-124) Photo: INA. ya7-124.JPG (112721 bytes)
ya7-131.JPG (150484 bytes) The submarine 'Asherah' in preparation for it's decent on the Yassiada site. (slide# YA7-131) Photo: INA.
The 'Asherah' with the forward mounted camera frame. (slide# YA7-160) Photo: INA. ya7-160.JPG (113506 bytes)
ya7-174.JPG (86915 bytes) The 'Asherah' over the wreck site. (slide# YA7-174) Photo: INA.
Mapping the site using a 2 meter grid square. (slide# YA7-212) Photo: INA. ya7-212.JPG (158292 bytes)
ya7-193.JPG (97832 bytes) Air lifts were used to remove much of the sand overburden from the wreck. This sand was then filtered by this floating screen above the site. (slide# YA7-193) Photo: INA.
All of the artifacts and hull timbers were tagged for identification prior to their removal to the surface. (slide# YA7-224) Photo: INA. ya7-224.JPG (150001 bytes)
ya7-185.JPG (117752 bytes) The excavation of many of the artifacts, such as the amphoras shown here, was often a delicate process. (slide# YA7-185) Photo: INA.
In order to raise a representative sample of the more than 800 amphoras on the shipwreck, large baskets and lifting balloons were employed. (slide# YA7-659) Photo: INA. ya7-659.JPG (123378 bytes)
ya7-657.JPG (143218 bytes) Several amphoras could be transported to the suface at one time using this method. (slide# YA7-657) Photo: INA.
Many kinds of artifacts were lifted using these large baskets. (slide# YA7-676) Photo: INA. ya7-676.JPG (132646 bytes)
ya7-696.JPG (132447 bytes) Over 100 amphoras and numerous other finds were transported to the surface during the excavation from 1961 to 1964 using lifting balloons. (slide# YA7-696) Photo: INA.
Some objects, like this section of the hull, were too heavy and fragile to be lifted with balloons and had to be carefully boxed and carried by divers up the slope to the surface. (slide# YA7-256) Photo: INA. ya7-256.JPG (157057 bytes)