The document discusses the evolution of anchors from ancient to modern times. It begins with stone anchors and evolves to include wood and lead designs in the Bronze Age. The advent of iron allowed for standardized, mass produced anchors beginning in the 6th century. Different anchor patterns can help archaeologists date and source shipwrecks. While design and materials have advanced, older anchor styles remain effective today.

1. By Ben Ritt
Session #3 2012

2. Anatomy of an Anchor


3. Inventing the 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.

4. Stone

 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.

5. Example


6. More Examples

Stone with rope hole and
Stone with rope hole holes for stakes

7. The Next Step

 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.

8. Example


9. Improving on The
Design

 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.

10. Examples

Wooden Anchor Frame w/ Lead
Stock, Flukes, and Throat Lead Stock

11. Iron the Game Changer

 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.

12. Pattern Types

 A- Roman Republic
 B- Early Imperial
 C- Roman Imperial
 D-Late Roman/
Byzantine
 Late Byzantine and
Arab

13. Cast Iron Anchor


14. What they mean
Archaeologically

 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.

15. Abandoned Anchor


16. Today

 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.

17. Resources

 Texas A&M Institute of Nautical Archeology
 The British Royal Institute of Naval History
 OffShoreMoorings.org
 The Big Anchor Project
http://www.biganchorproject.com