This book analyses archaeological finds retrieved from the Akko marina and its surroundings. Analysis of structures and installations casts light on the harbour's building and destruction cycles; for example, a 15th century wooden mole has been discovered, indicating previously unknown activity in that period. Hellenistic to late Ottoman period ceramics reveal the city's international connections and commerce. Glass artifacts and raw glass finds shed light on the famous local glass industry. Shipwrecks, anchors, rigging devices and cargoes starting from the Late Bronze Age tell us about shipbuilding and commercial ties. A unique 13th century hoard of gold florins reveals the last days of Crusader Akko as described in historical documents. Fishing gear indicates fishing activity and weapons and ammunitions provide a glimpse of the conflicts and battles in Akko and its role in local and world history. Numismatic, epigraphic, cartographic and photographic evidence of activity from the Hellenistic period onward depicts the harbour and associated facilities, including ancient and modern lighthouses, breakwaters, and other structures.

AUTHOR
Ehud Galili (PhD) is a research fellow at the Zinman Institute of Archaeology, University of Haifa, a member of the National Committee for the Protection of the Coastal Environment, director of the Atlit-Yam project and excavator of the submerged Neolithic settlements off the Carmel coast, as well as an emeritus marine archaeologist and researcher (Israel Antiquities Authority).

REVIEW
‘Dopo l’inquadramento crono-tipologico del porto di Akko si susseguono una serie di capitoli dedicati specificatamente ai reperti archeologici documentati durante le attività sul campo, tutti resi maggiormente fruibili attraverso un ricco apparato di illustrazioni, costituito essenzialmente da carte della distribuzione che evidenziano il contesto di provenienza degli stessi, oltre che da disegni, foto, grafici e tabelle utili a valutare i dati in maniera sintetica’ Giacomo Disantarosa, L’Archeologo Subacqueo, Anno XXVI, 71, 2020

‘For decades Dr Ehud Galili, the principal author of the current volume, has flown the flag requiring archaeological oversight of mass sand dredging in ancient ports. The results of the Akko Marina Archaeological Project are a watershed in this brave new world and show how underwater discoveries layered over textual evidence can change historical interpretations of how and when harbours operated and characterise the changing nature of trade.’ Sean A. Kingsley, STRATA, Bulletin of the Anglo-Israel Archaeological Society, Volume 36, 2018

‘This volume is produced to a high quality. The large format enables the inclusion of many illustrations, maps and photographs taken either in the field or during the study of the artefacts. The tables, maps, drawings and scaled photographs, accompanying the discussed artefacts throughout the chapters, provide a really detailed publication intended to transmit minutely the archaeological data from this project. Finally, the list of references at the end of each chapter gives the sense of a collection of independent papers, appropriate for readers with specialized interests. Overall this is an excellent publication presenting archaeological evidence for both known and previously unknown aspects of Akko’s history from the Bronze Age to the 20th century. A very interesting and useful read for any maritime, classical, medieval and historical archaeologist interested in the history and material culture of Akko and the wider region of the eastern Mediterranean.’ Katerina Velentza, International Journal of Nautical Archaeology, 47.2, 2018