Sourcing wood for early Mediterranean ships in the Late Bronze and Iron Ages

Journal article

Mediterranean shipwrecks from 1500–500 BC seldom preserve wooden elements, and previous scholarship has favoured construction techniques over materials. This paper introduces a novel methodology to understand human-environment interactions in shipbuilding and repair. Using chorological data to examine the overlap of natural ranges of tree species used to construct ships, we identify new and evocative narratives of maritime life in the pre-Classical Mediterranean. Local wood was often used to construct ships, although sometimes it came from trade or recycling. This investigation forms part of the Practical Mariner Project’s work package exploring the environmental foundations of sea-journeys: constructing and repairing ships.

Authors: MacDonald, M; Hulin, L

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis
• Journal: International Journal of Nautical Archaeology
• Publication date: 2026-05-11
• Acceptance date: 2026-03-26
• DOI: 10.1080/10572414.2026.2659656
• EISSN: 1095-9270
• ISSN: 1057-2414
• Language: English
• Keywords: Mediterranean; shipwrecks; dendroprovenancing; trees; wood; ship construction