The Joni Wreck : An Archaeological Study of Late Roman Trade Patterns in the Adriatic Sea

Abstract

Current data sets for analyzing Late Roman maritime trade and economic patterns have many gaps in them regarding the Adriatic Sea. While there have been many studies of terrestrial sites and their significance, maritime archaeology has been largely absent. This thesis, as part of the Illyrian Coastal Exploration Project (ICEP), will show that the Adriatic Sea was part of a thriving trade route for the Roman Empire. The paper will use previous studies of terrestrial archaeological finds in conjunction with evidence from a fourth century A.D. merchant vessel to establish new thoughts on patterns of trade, while using innovative techniques to describe how the vessel was loaded. The study will be one of the first multi-disciplinary collaborations in the southeast Adriatic to include amphora investigations, analysis of evolving trade patterns within the Late Roman Empire, and research on the ecological impacts of artifact introduction to ecosystems, while taking part in the development of non-invasive site tests.