2008/01/01 by Ralph K. Pedersen · 15 citations
Arts and Humanities · Social Sciences · #Ancient history #Archaeology #Archaeology and Historical Studies #Art #Byzantine architecture #Geography #Global Maritime and Colonial Histories #History #Maritime and Coastal Archaeology #Period (music)
paper · doi:10.1080/00672700809480460
published in Azania Archaeological Research in Africa 43(1), 77-94 (Routledge)
openalex publication_date 2008/01/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/03
Lying astride the Massawa Channel, between the mainland of Eritrea and the Dahlak archipelago, the two islands known as the Assarcas became the focus of archaeological investigation beginning in 1995 (Fig. 1). Both are ancient coral outcrops, with just enough accumulated topsoil to support euphorbia cacti, scrub grass, and the associated insects and arachnids. The southern island is known as White Assarca for its surrounding of white sand beaches. The northern island is called Black Assarca as it is encompassed on all sides but one by coral cliffs stained dark by the sea. In places, the cliffs reach approximately two metres above the sea. As the uppermost parts of the reefs surrounding Black Assarca are exposed only at low tide, and are hidden during high water, they present a danger to watercraft as they lie very close below the surface. The reefs extend outward from the island for ten to twenty metres, if not more in places, before gradually dropping off to a sandy bottom. Here, at the edge of the reefs on the northern side of Black Assarca Island a ship wrecked some 15 centuries ago and lay undiscovered until 1995.