Girne Shipwreck

Ruth Andrews

Photos by Keith and Ruth Andrews

Keith and I visited North Cyprus in April.  Girne (Kyrenia) Castle contains a preserved ship which apparently sank in rough seas around 300BC a mile from the anchorage at Girne.  It had a cargo of 400 wine amphorae made in Rhodes, and 10 made in Samos.  Interestingly, 29 millstones were packed into the keel in 3 rows and were acting as ballast as well as cargo.  They probably came from Kos and were clearly new and unused. 

There seemed to be two types of stones:  a flat rectangular base piece with a carefully shaped stone on top with a central slot and a possible spout at both ends.  They are about 18in x 12in.  I saw a worn top stone outside the museum, but no clues as to how these stones operated.

I have never encountered anything like them before and have been unable to find any information on the internet.  I wondered if anyone reading this knows how they worked and what they milled. 

My guess is that a cylindrical runner stone revolved in the top depression but there were none in the wreck.