Interview by Maria Liosi. Issue 5 – Summer 2024!
Ιn July 2023 an original archaeological expedition was carried out by a group of Czech scientists, led by Professor Radomyr Tichý from the University of Hradec Králové.
Inspired by the discovery of a 6000-year-old ship in Italy’s Lake Bracciano, they embark on a journey of experimental archeology from a prehistoric settlement near Ephesus to the Fraghti Cave in the Valley. This expedition fascinates with the discovery of important prehistoric sites, highlighting the roots of navigation and cultural exchange in ancient Europe.
The interview questions were formulated in collaboration with Dr. Anna Strulia – Archaeologist Anthropologist, member of the Fraghthi Cave archaeological team.
ML: Dr. Tichy Radomir thank you so much for agreeing to include our interview in your busy schedule. A few months ago, you completed a “primitive” trip from the Asia Minor to Franchthi Cave.
RT: Yes, in May and June of this year, we covered 500 kilometers from the island of Samos to the Peloponnese. The vessel was a boat from one tribe. The crew consisted of 20 paddlers and a helmsman. The destination was Franchthi Cave.
ML: Before we discuss this project, let’s start with you. What is your background? What is your field of study? What is your relationship with Aegean archaelogy?
RT: ΕI am an archaeologist at the University of Hradec Králové in the Czech Republic. I am also the director of the Archeopark near Hradec Králové. So I relate to the experiment in archaeology. Our country has no sea. Therefore, it is difficult to explain why ancient sea voyages interest me and my colleagues. All I know is that my interest goes back to childhood.
ML: Let’s move on to the origins of your project. Why such a trip? What were the questions that inspired you to organize this fascinating journey?
RT: The Monoxylon expedition was the fourth in a row. Three of them took place in the Aegean Sea. One in the western Mediterranean and the Atlantic. We choose different routes. We are improving the measurement. We choose a different composition of crews. We are trying to derive routes based on knowledge about the distribution of obsidian. And also with regard to the process of neolithization. Thus, the adoption of an agricultural way of life in the younger Stone Age.
Other than that, it’s a great adventure.
ML: Please tell us about the monoxylon, the wooden vessel that is the star of your project. How was it constructed? What were the construction stages? How many people were involved in the building process? What tools did they use? Did you use modern or only prehistoric technology? And if you would like to be more specific, what tree species did you choose and why? Where did these trees come from?
RT: Yes, the dug-out boat (logboat, monoxylon) is the hero of the story. This is already the third boat built for sailing at sea. The first (from 1995) had a hypothetical form. We built the second one based on a find from the Italian lake Bracciano near Rome. However, we also know of somewhat younger finds from Greece. We built the third boat in 2022. It finally had the dimensions of the original. 11 meters long and more than one meter wide. You need a big tree for that. We found him after a long time in the Czech Republic. But in the Neolithic, such trees must have grown in Italy as well. Perhaps throughout the Mediterranean. It is a summer oak.
We wanted to learn more about boat building. That’s why we cut out 3 m with stone axes. The rest of the length with modern tools. The boat was huge. We had to finish it for the trip to the Aegean Sea in time.
ML: How long did it take to build a boat? What were your inspirations for this type of vessel? If you could do it again, would you have changed something in the design?
RT: We counted 1300 hours of work on the boat. Each strain has its own specific characteristics. This last one, the best one, is very straight. But the original could have had a narrower bow.
ML: And now, let’s talk about the crew: How large was it? How many men, how many women? Did the whole crew consist of archaeologists? Which were the criteria for the selection process? Did the members of your team go through training? What was the training like?
RT: Twenty paddlers and a helmsman. All men. This is not discrimination against women. We know from 1998 that women were at least as good as men. But we were at sea for 24 days. It was more of an organizational measure. Every participant of the expedition had to be at the construction of the boat. There, in 2022, we already experienced one before – Monoxylon IV. Physical prerequisites were a requirement. The crew gradually expanded. It was clear that the boat could hold a lot more crew this time. We had to test the boat before the actual expedition. That was on a lake in eastern Bohemia. This was also a test of how physically prepared the paddlers were.
ML: A couple of questions regarding the cargo: What did they take with? How heavy was the cargo? What was the total load of the boat?
RΤ: In past expeditions, there were only enough paddlers to keep the boat going as fast as possible. Without costs. This time, during the expedition, some did not paddle for a certain period of time. At that moment, they represented the cargo that others were transporting. Our conclusion is that the boat will carry 500 kg of cargo. When only 14 paddlers are paddling. And the speed will remain almost the same. It would be possible to keep adding cargo, but the cruise speed would be lower.
ML : Would you like to inform us about the specifics of your itinerary? Where did you stop to rest/sleep or get supplies? How long did it take you to complete the trip?
RT : We drove 500 kilometers in 100 hours. We always spent the night on the islands. In total, there were 17 stages of the voyage. Plus 7 rest days. We didn’t set sail then. They were just resting. The route initially headed south from the island of Samos. The goal was to test the sail on a tailwind. Then we turned west. With side waves. The third part of the route was the hardest. From the island of Mélos, the islands were uninhabited and the distance between them was around 40 kilometers. The great heat began. But we have shown that obsidian can be taken from Mélos by the shortest route to the Franchthi cave.
ML: What are the chalenges that you faced? What was the farthest sea distance that you covered? How strong were the winds? How high were the waves?
RT: When you go to sea in a simple boat, the height of the waves and the strength of the wind are decisive. And their direction. I’m glad we managed to ride with the wind at our backs. But when the waves sometimes reached a height of about 2 meters, the speed decreased anyway. Unplanned, we also paddled against the wind. Even 11 o’clock. That was before the island Amorgos. And later again on the Keros. The weather forecast doesn’t always work out.
ML: Having talked to the archaeologists who excavated the cave, I know about another experimental trip that took place 50 or so years ago with a boat made of reeds, the so-called paapyrella. As far as I know it worked well. Would you argue that the monoxylon would have been a better choice? If so, why?
RT: Monoxylon boat has one advantage. It is preserved in archaeological finds. A reed boat does not. Nevertheless, I believe that there were different vessels. Therefore, it makes sense to experiment with them. Monoxylon boat seems to be the fastest so far. We were paddling at a speed of 6 kilometers per hour. Even 8 kilometers per hour with a sail. A dug-out boat also carries cargo better. In Eastern Bohemia, we have successfully transported goats. By the way, we met them during the expedition on almost every island.
ML: And finally, are you planning any more Franchthi-related projects?
RT: At this point we need to evaluate this expedition. It was very difficult, but we learned a lot. But the Franchthi cave is a constant inspiration.