Ma'agan Mikhael Ancient Ship

Ships are unique. A ship is a microcosm of political, economic, cultural and technological activity. Why do we deem the discovery of a ship so significant? It serves as a bridge between different cultures and peoples carrying goods, ideas and technologies. As the sea is a bridge between cultures so is the ship the means of carrying and diffusing that culture. Comprehending the technological achievements embodied in the building of a ship, its navigation, its method of propulsion, its loading capacity and its constant confrontation with the elements is a major task. Until very recently, the structure of ancient ships was a subject relying on literary descriptions and artistic iconographic representations. However, now with the progress of nautical archaeology research, we can handle a ship's hull itself enabling us to begin to understand the magnitude of the achievements of the ancients. Such was the case with the Ma'agan Mikhael Ship - a fortuitous discovery accompanied by a dramatic touch of coincidence. The ship was found offshore Kibbutz Ma'agan Mikhael, a settlement situated approximately 30 Km south of Haifa, on the Israeli coastline, where 3 decades earlier maritime archaeology in Israel was initiated.