Marine Magnetic Survey of a Submerged Roman Harbour, Caesarea Maritima, Israel

A marine geophysical survey was conducted at Caesarea Maritima, Israel, to map the buried structure of King Herod's Roman harbour. Magnetic surveys reveal the presence of an extensive hydraulic concrete foundation below the ruined harbour moles. The magnetic anomaly patterns indicate that the concrete foundation was laid out in header fashion along N‐S and W‐E trending segments to form two large ‘artificial islands’. Magnetic lows within the structure identify baffles that were infilled with sand to stabilise the concrete foundation walls. © 2004 The Nautical Archaeology Society