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Project UnderwaterMuse - “Immersive Underwater Museum Experience for a wider inclusion”

Published on 22/10/2021 (last modified 22/10/2021)

     Interreg V-A Italy-Croatia 2014/2020

     Pilot intervention “Torre Santa Sabina. The rediscovered landing”

     August 30-October 10, 2021 – Camerini Bay (Torre Santa Sabina, Carovigno – Brindisi)

Underwater archaeological research in the inlet of Camerini Bay of Torre Santa Sabina is starting again in these days and will continue until October, thanks to the permit of excavation from the MiC - Ministry of Culture to the Department of Cultural Heritage of the Salento University, through the Superintendence of Archeology, Fine Arts and Landscape – SABAP for the provinces of Brindisi and Lecce.


After the campaign of September 2020, this is the second phase of the of the pilot intervention “Torre Santa Sabina. The rediscovered landing”, as part of the Interreg Italy-Croatia UnderwaterMuse Project. The Project aims to enhance and make accessible the huge underwater heritage of the involved areas through the creation of submerged archaeological parks and the narrative and communicative use of the virtual reality.
The Project is financed by the Interreg V-A Italy-Croatia 2014-2020 Programme. The Puglia Region - Department of Tourism, Economics of Culture and Valorization of the Territory is partner of the UnderwaterMuse Project with ERPAC – Regional Institute for the Cultural Heritage of Autonomous Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia (Lead Partner), Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, Public Institution for Coordination and Development of Split - Dalmatia County RERA S.D. and City of Kastela.


Torre Santa Sabina was choosen as piloto site of this ambitious Project thanks to the previous research campaigns carried out by Univeristy of Salento from 2007 to 2012.
This millenary landing place has a long history, from Prehistory to Medieval and Modern Age and its seabed has preserved the remains of loads and wooden hulls of at least five wrecks that broke against its cliffs or beached. 
The latter one is the case of the late imperial wreck Torre Santa Sabina 1 (late 3rd - early 4th century AD), which was wrapped in sand and was thus exceptionally preserved.
This wreck is one of the most interesting in the Mediterranean because the hull still shows elements of the upper part of the wreck, such as the deck boards and the beams on which they rested. It probably was a merchant ship over 20 meters long and fairly heavy in tonnage that came from the Tunisian coast and transported wine or sauces and fish preserves from the North African provinces maybe to Brindisi or another important Adriatic port. During the 2007 excavations in fact were found amphorae produced in Proconsular Africa (today's northern Tunisia) which were part of the cargo.

 

Torre Santa Sabina 1 wreck will be the protagonist of this 2021 campaign and will be completely excavated and documented by photogrammetric tecniques.
The aim is to fully document the wreck in order to study it in detail and to create a 3D model of the original ship. Thanks to virtual reality, animations and stories will allow the wider public (even non-divers) to know this precious common good.
As the previous one, also the 2021 intervention will be carried out by the three regional Universities thanks to the agreement with the Puglia Region - Department of Tourism, Economics of Culture and Valorization of the Territory, which has involved the Universities of Salento (Rita Auriemma), Bari (Giuliano Volpe) and Foggia (Danilo Leone; Maria Turchiano).
The pilot intervention has also the fruitful synergy between the other actors involved: Politecnico di Torino (for the 3D reliefs and models), ASSO Association (expert in underwater archaeological and speleological research since the 1990), Angelo Colucci company (for the tecnical-logistic support) and this year also the ICR - Central Institute for Restoration of MiC - Ministry of Culture (restorers of the Nucleus for the Underwater Archaeology interventions to support the excavation activities and the handling and consolidation of the wooden remains).
Moreover, the Torre Santa Sabina pilot action and the UnderwaterMuse Project are now strictly connected to the ESAC - Euromediterranean Seascapes Archaeology Center, recently created and managed by Puglia Region – Libraries and Museums Hubs, National Superintendence for the Underwater Cultural Heritage and the three regional Universities to promote the Apulian underwater heritage research and valorization.
The Hotel owners Consortium of Carovigno (especially Riva Marina Resort and Hotel Victoria) ensures the accomodation to the team for the entire work period with the same helpfulness of the last year.


The support of the territory, of the local community and of the touristic and cultural operators is an important preliminary result of the UnderwaterMuse Project, which mostly aims to involve the local stakeholders. Cultural Heritage is a unique resource for the social and economic well-being of communities: taking charge of it means recognizing its value of common good and its importance for healthy and responsible development.