Pisa Update	June 18, 1999
by Andrew L. Slayman

Two more Roman ships have been discovered at Pisa's San Rossore train station, bringing the total to 11. While the newfound vessels have not yet been excavated, more details are now available about the nine original boats. The wreckage of one ship, which probably came from Carthage, included bones of horses, rams, goats, and even a lion, which may have been destined for the venatio, an animal hunt staged in an arena for spectators. A large, well-preserved anchor was found in another wreck, while a small, paddled boat yielded the remains of fishing nets. Other finds included Iberian and Corsican ceramics, glassware, rope, and Punic incense burners. The archaeological superintendent of Florence, Angelo Bottini, who has authority over the Pisa superintendency, has estimated the total bill for excavation, restoration, and display of the ships and their contents at $6 million.

See "A Cache of Vintage Ships," July/August 1999.

© 1999 by the Archaeological Institute of America archive.archaeology.org/online/news/pisa.html