Malta 2008 Season
The Project
The main aims of the project were the following:
1. to carry out a higher resolution side scan survey of the single anomaly discovered in 2007;
2. to map the sediments in the area of study;
3. to carry out a high resolution side scan survey of the area of concentration;
4. to deploy the ROV to verify the single anomaly.
Project Operations
Aurora deployed its Klein 3000 system complete with the Klein sub bottom profiler to map the sediments in the area. The Klein 3900 was used to obtain the high resolution sonar images of the cultural deposits and the Seaeye Falcon ROV was also used for target identification.
Finds
The area with numerous cultural artifacts was accurately mapped and delineated. High resolution sonar images further reinforced our belief that we were dealing with a previously undiscovered shipwreck. A series of runs over the site with the sub bottom profiler highlighted that a large part of the target was under the sandy sediments. Any uncertainties we may have had were done away with when we deployed our ROV on the site and confirmed it to be an ancient shipwreck datable to approximately the 6th century BC
Future Work
Aurora plans to return to Malta in 2009 in order to continue the photographic and video recording of this unique site.
