ALFRED MERLIN

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Historic wreck investigated

The Department of Underwater and Underwater Archaeological Research (Drassm) aboard 'Alfred Merlin' investigated the so-called wreck 'Cap Sicié 4' off Toulon-La Seyne-Sur-Mer from December 11 to 15, 2023. Discovered in 2005 by Éric Alberola, the wreck was the subject of a first expertise by archaeologists from Drassm in 2022 and explored with a ROV, which found very numerous jars as well as three wooden jasle anchors that made it possible to propose an initial dating of the wreck back to the first half of the 19th century. The 'Cap Sicié 4' wreck is located 75 meters below sea level. At such a depth, working time is very limited, requiring a strict organization of diver rotations. In order to allow an extended study of the site and to carry out complete photogrammetry, the divers were assisted by the Hilarion robot, an ROV remotely controlled by a Drassm pilot. The operation was carried out with the logistical and human support of the National Institute of Professional Diving, as well as the companies KrakenPlongée and SeaTools. About 100 jars were counted during the first exploration in 2022. Of varying dimensions, all the elements seemed to belong to local production located in Biot in the Alpes-Maritimes. Transport jars intended to ultimately contain liquids or dry products, such as oil, water, or even flour, were transported empty, for commercial purposes, from their location production to the redistribution port, Marseille. In the cargo from the 'Cap Sicié 4' wreck, in order to optimize the loading, some of the jars were filled with ceramic culinary crockery, notably Vallauris pots and frying pans. The absence of a stamp on the jars and the shape of their foot allow us to propose a production dating from the first half of the 19th century. During the operation, close observation of the organization of the loading was carried out by Drassm archaeologists: distribution, position, packaging of the jars. A complete photogrammetry of the site as well as detailed photographs of the furniture was taken. Several jars and items of tableware were taken for laboratory analyses. These new studies were carried out in collaboration with researchers from the ARKAIA Institute of Mediterranean Archeology at Aix-Marseille University, attached to the Laboratory of Medieval and Modern Archeology in the Mediterranean (CNRS-LA3M) in partnership with the Maritime Prefecture of the Mediterranean and the French Navy. The 'Cap Sicié 4' constitutes the first wreck with an almost intact cargo in the French Mediterranean. A traveling exhibition currently being studied could make it possible to present to the public this exceptional local heritage, taking the same commercial route as this type of ship, from the Alpes-Maritimes to Bouches-du-Rhône via the Var. Report with photo: https://www.premar-mediterranee.gouv.fr/communiques-presse/au-large-de-toulon-83-nouvelle-expertise-archeologique-sous-marine-de-l-epave-cap-sicie-4