NEH SUMMER INSTITUTE FOR TEACHERS 2009

Daily Life in Ancient Times: Archeology of Israel and Jordan

 

Lesson created by: Justin Keen, Helen Tyson Middle School, Springdale, Arkansas.


Exploring Underwater Archaeology in the Mediterranean


Subject: 7th grade social studies

Skills: reading comprehension, writing, critical thinking

Strategies: 4 voices, collaboration

Class size: 7 groups of 4

Duration: 45 minutes

 

Objective:

              After studying the ancient cultures that lived around the Mediterranean region students be exposed to the Uluburun shipwreck site & reading in order to:

  1. Understand that ancient cultures did not live in isolation.
  2. Analyze evidence of economic and social interaction between ancient cultures.
  3. Demonstrate geographical knowledge of the region.

Materials:

Uluburun shipwreck site http://sara.theellisschool.org/~shipwreck/shipwreck.html

Map activity handout

voices reading

Reading comprehension questions

 

Vocabulary:

1. Underwater archaeology: is the study of past human life, behaviors and cultures using the physical remains found in salt or fresh water

                  2. Dendrochronology: tree ring dating

                  3. Raw materials: unprocessed materials used in creating a product or as a building material

4. Bronze Age: (3300–1200 BC) time of an advance form of metal working including creating bronze from copper & tin

 

Procedure:

  1. Teacher presents Uluburun shipwreck website to class as mini lesson. Highlight the items specifically discussed in the reading and others that relate.
  2. Handout out the 4 voices reading. In groups of four students each pick a font and read it only in choral reading to navigate through the text.
  3. In groups or individual students work to complete the map activity using text and group as resource.
  4. Students work to answer individual reading comprehension questions using text as resource for remainder of period.

Evaluation:


      Students will be evaluated on map activity and reading comprehension questions.



Exploring Underwater Archaeology in the Mediterranean


Shipwrecks are time capsule that can tell archaeologists about trade and information sharing between different cultures.  In 1982, a Turkish diver found a shipwreck off the southern coast of Turkey. The diver was looking for sponges but discovered something much more valuable. The wreckage, called the Uluburun shipwreck, was from the Bronze Age or 14th century B.C.E.


The shipwreck took over ten years to excavate using underwater archaeology. It was more challenging and took longer than archaeological sites on land because it was over 150 feet underwater. It is hard for divers to work in these conditions and they can only stay down at that depth for around twenty minutes. Also, a diver can only go to that depth twice a day without risking serious health problems. In addition, the ship was carrying tons of cargo from all over the Mediterranean. Each artifact must be carefully excavated, identified, and cataloged so we can learn all we can from this one of a kind archaeological find.


The ship itself was probably built by Canaanites based on the style and the materials used in its construction. Divers also found large stone anchors around the ship similar to what the Canaanites of the 14th century B.C.E. would have used. The ship carried over twenty tons of cargo from all over the Mediterranean and beyond.  Because of its diverse cargo archaeologists believe it was a merchant ship.


The main cargo of the ship was copper ingots or sheets of copper weighing around 60 pounds each. These most likely came from Cyprus which has rich copper deposits. There was also tin on board which when mixed with copper makes bronze used for creating weapons and armor during this time. These were rare because they were “raw materials” which archaeologists usually do not find.


Divers also found ebony, which is a wood used for making fine furniture, that came from Egypt. In addition, there was a gold ring in the shape of a scarab that had the name of Queen Nefertiti of Egypt engraved on it. There were bronze swords found that were known to be carried by merchants from Mycenae. There were cylinder seals from Assyria as well as Mycenae.  There was pottery from all around the area including Egypt, Mycenaean palaces in Greece, and the Hittite Empire. There were also Ostrich eggs and Blackwood which archaeologist believe came from Nubian Kingdoms.


Of course, archaeologists can date the ship fairly close to the time of the wreck using the tons of cargo they found. However, archaeologists have been able to use a more scientific approach with the Uluburun ship wreck. Divers found some firewood in the wreckage. Using dendrochronology, tree ring dating, archaeologists have been able to accurately date the ship to 1316 B.C.E.


The Uluburun shipwreck is like a time capsule from this date. It shows us that these early civilizations were interacting with each other socially and economically. It gives us a window into the past to see how they lived and where and how they met their needs. It was a very important discovery.

 

 

      Map Activity:

  1. Write the name of each continent pictured in the map.
  2. Label the country north of the wreck with its modern name.
  3. Circle each civilization mentioned in the reading passage and connect it with a line to the spot of the ship wreck.
  4. Draw a (1) large circle around all the civilizations mentioned in the reading.

 

Reading Comprehension Questions: Use the text to answer the following questions

  1. Why did it take so long to excavate the Uluburun shipwreck? What were the dangers involved?
  2. Where do archaeologists believe the ship was made? What is your evidence?
  3. Why do archaeologists believe the ship was a merchant ship? Please give two pieces of evidence.
  4. What was the ships main cargo? What was it used for and why is it considered an important find?
  5. What were the two ways that archaeologists were able to date the wreck?
  6. Using evidence from the text and your answers write at least a paragraph about the importance of the Uluburun shipwreck to archaeologists.