THE SHIPWRECKS AT POINTE DE LEQUIN

On the Northern coast of the Island of Porquerolles lies a rocky point close to a harborage. Its stormy conditions were the cause of many shipwrecks, and in particular the sinking of four ancient boats:

·Pointe Lequin 1A: Greek ship from the sixth century BC.

· Pointe Lequin 1B: Ship from ancient Marseilles, fifth century BC.

· Pointe Lequin 2: Late second, early first century BC.

· Pointe Lequin 3: : Mid first century AD.

Pointe Lequin 1A

This vessel from the archaic period transported wine and dishes toward Marseilles. Its cargo contained Ionic and Attic black figure drinking cups, lamps, Attic amphoras, vases, and statuettes. A packet of wine amphoras, principally from Eastern Greece, completed the cargo. The ship dates to the middle of the sixth century BC.

Ionic bowl, preponderant among the tableware found on board. The bowls were transported stacked up in crates.

Greek black figure pottery: eye bowl. Theseus and the Minotaur.

The over 600 pieces of Attic pottery, dating to 520-510 BC, are essentially Bloesch C bowls. They are sometimes decorated with a medallion motif (gorgon, sphinx, serpent, rooster, lion). There were also eye bowls of various sizes.

Bronze statuette.

Pointe Lequin 3 shipwreck

Dressel 2/4 amphora from Tarraconaise (Spain).

Photos : Philippe Foliot (CNRS/CCJ), and Luc Long (DRASSM)