The wreck and its contents

Located at a depth of 110 m off Xlendi Bay (island of Gozo, Malta), this Phoenician wreck delivers a perfectly preserved cargo dating back to the 7th century B.C. Consisting of ceramics and stone objects, its contents provide information on the economic history and trade networks of the Central Mediterranean in the Archaic period. The ceramics are concentrated in the central part of the wreck and include amphorae from various regions of the central Mediterranean. The two ends of the vessel are loaded with millstones made of volcanic rock, whose lack of wear clearly indicates that they had not yet been used. Analysis of the stone indicates its origin in Pantelleria (Sicily).

In addition to the site's high archaeological potential, such an underwater context also represents a real operational and methodological challenge.

Ontologies and photogrammetry

The survey of the current state of this wreck is being carried out in an automated way, from taking the picture to recognizing and locating the amphorae and other manufactured objects visible on the surface layer.

To achieve this objective, we are developing an original approach to underwater photogrammetry, deployed in a specific instrumental context with COMEX sea-based resources. This photogrammetric approach is supported by a formalization of the archaeological knowledge at stake, both from a theoretical and a geometric point of view, and a set of business ontologies is implemented to support and guide the measurement and exploitation process.