One Armed Anchor

One Armed Anchors are rare finds!  It is obviously well–preserved!  Note the copper tip on the tip of the anchor.

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The one armed oak anchor was found right to the bow of the shipwreck, attached to two ropes, the main anchor rope and trip rope.  Lead was inserted inside the anchor stock to insure that the anchor would sink to the sea bottom with the arm downwards.  The anchor's copper nail protected the wood from erosion.  (From a sign in the Hecht Museum)

 

The vessel is approximately 41 feet long and 13 feet wide.  It had a load capacity of about 15 tons.  The ship sailed under a square rig and its maststep (the wooden horizontal beam that holds the mast in place) was found intact!  The ship was probably manned by a crew of 4-6 mariners.

In 1985 a shipwreck dating to the fifth century BC was discovered off the coast of Kibbutz Ma'agan Mikhael (Michael).