Roman Anchor Technology

By Ben RittSession #3 2012

Anatomy of an Anchor

The word derives from Latin ancora, which

itself comes from the Greek ankura. The word dentes meaning "teeth" is frequently

used to denote anchors in Greek and Latin poems. The invention of the teeth is ascribed by Pliny to the Tuscans; but Pausanias gives the credit to Midas, king of Phrygia.

Inventing the Anchor

Rocks were obviously the first anchors and are

still used today, because they are cheap and work well.

This technology evolved over time from ropes tied to stones to the slightly more elegant stone with a hole in it design and finally to a stone with a hole for a rope and holes for wooden stakes for better traction on the sea floor.

Stone

Example

More Examples

Stone with rope holeStone with rope hole and

holes for stakes

With time the stone and wood stake

technology evolved into wood stakes with stone anchors.

Long wooden stakes would be weighted down with a stone stock to help the wood shank and fluke sink and “bite” into the sea floor.

The Next Step

Example

With advancements in metallurgy in the

Bronze Age, lead became a popular material used in the construction of anchors.

Wooden shanks and crowns would be fitted with lead stocks and flukes.

Sometimes wood anchor forms would be dipped in molten lead or hallowed out and molten lead poured into them to weigh them down.

Improving on The Design

Examples

Wooden Anchor Frame w/ Lead Stock, Flukes, and Throat Lead Stock

With advancements in the mining and

smelting of iron ore came the ability to make uniform mass produced anchors.

Chains of iron replaced ropes in the 6th century.

Many different types of iron anchors have been produced and many of these patters are still used today.

Iron the Game Changer

Pattern Types

A- Roman Republic B- Early Imperial C- Roman Imperial D-Late Roman/

Byzantine Late Byzantine and

Arab

Cast Iron Anchor

Since different anchors are used in different

time periods as well as differences in style by region they can be used diagnostically to help date shipwrecks, as and source them as well.

But… finding an anchor does not mean a shipwreck has been found necessarily, they often get stuck and must be cut free for the ship to sail.

The size of an anchor can tell you how big a ship was for example a ship of 500tons needs a 2000lb anchor.

What they mean Archaeologically

Abandoned Anchor

Modern anchors widely very in design and

material today. The older designs are still used however since

they remain affective, even cement cinderblocks coated in plastic with chains attached to them can be purchased at boating stores or fashioned at home.

Today

Texas A&M Institute of Nautical Archeology The British Royal Institute of Naval History OffShoreMoorings.org The Big Anchor Project

http://www.biganchorproject.com

Resources