Claire Calcagno – författare

Over half a century ago, maritime archaeologist Honor Frost led an interdisciplinary team that uncovered an exceptional Punic shipwreck off the western coast of Sicily.The excavation, study, and conservation of the shipwreck—dated to the 3rd century BCE and now on display at the Museo Archeologico Regionale Lilibeo–Marsala—marked a groundbreaking achievement in the history of underwater archaeology. To this day, the Punic Ship of Marsala remains the only surviving ancient galley of the Mediterranean Sea.The Second Life of a Phoenix takes shape from an unfinished manuscript by Honor Frost, recently discovered in her personal archives. In her Sicilian memoir, she recounts firsthand her experiences, challenges, and discoveries as director of the Punic Ship Project, while delving into the intellectual debates shaping the emerging discipline of maritime archaeology at that time. She illustrates the Mediterranean environment within which the ‘phoenix-ship’ likely came to grief; and the Sicilian context where she was able to bring it back to a second life.The original manuscript comprises seven complete chapters (covering the years 1969–1973), along with notes for five additional chapters spanning the following years. The editors—both maritime archaeologists—introduce and contextualize the work, and provide a vital reconstruction of the unfinished sections.The volume includes 72 photographs and maps, many drawn from Frost’s personal archive, and is published in both English and Italian, in accordance with her wishes, to ensure her story reaches the community of Marsala and beyond.

Over half a century ago, maritime archaeologist Honor Frost led an interdisciplinary team that uncovered an exceptional Punic shipwreck off the western coast of Sicily.The excavation, study, and conservation of the shipwreck—dated to the 3rd century BCE and now on display at the Museo Archeologico Regionale Lilibeo–Marsala—marked a groundbreaking achievement in the history of underwater archaeology. To this day, the Punic Ship of Marsala remains the only surviving ancient galley of the Mediterranean Sea.The Second Life of a Phoenix takes shape from an unfinished manuscript by Honor Frost, recently discovered in her personal archives. In her Sicilian memoir, she recounts firsthand her experiences, challenges, and discoveries as director of the Punic Ship Project, while delving into the intellectual debates shaping the emerging discipline of maritime archaeology at that time. She illustrates the Mediterranean environment within which the ‘phoenix-ship’ likely came to grief; and the Sicilian context where she was able to bring it back to a second life.The original manuscript comprises seven complete chapters (covering the years 1969–1973), along with notes for five additional chapters spanning the following years. The editors—both maritime archaeologists—introduce and contextualize the work, and provide a vital reconstruction of the unfinished sections.The volume includes 72 photographs and maps, many drawn from Frost’s personal archive, and is published in both English and Italian, in accordance with her wishes, to ensure her story reaches the community of Marsala and beyond.

Poco più di cinquant’anni fa, l’archeologa marina Honor Frost guidava un’équipe interdisciplinare che avrebbe portato alla scoperta di un eccezionale relitto punico al largo della costa occidentale della Sicilia.Le fasi di ricerca, scavo e conservazione del relitto, datato al III secolo a.C. e oggi esposto al Museo Archeologico Regionale Lilibeo – Marsala, rappresentano una pietra miliare nella storia dell’archeologia subacquea. A tutt’oggi la Nave punica di Marsala rimane l’unico esempio di una antica nave lunga del Mar Mediterraneo.La seconda vita di una fenice prende forma a partire da un manoscritto incompiuto di Honor Frost, recentemente ritrovato nei suoi archivi personali. In questo suo mémoire siciliano, l’autrice racconta in prima persona esperienze, difficoltà e scoperte vissute nel suo ruolo di direttrice del Punic Ship Project, e approfondisce i dibattiti intellettuali che plasmavano la disciplina emergente dell’archeologia marittima in quel periodo. Illustra l’ambiente mediterraneo in cui la “nave-fenice” probabilmente naufragò; e il contesto siciliano in cui riuscì a riportarla a una seconda vita.Il manoscritto originale includeva sette capitoli completi (1969–1973) e una serie di appunti per ulteriori cinque capitoli relativi agli anni successivi. Le curatrici del volume, entrambe archeologhe marine, introducono e contestualizzano il testo, fornendo una interpretazione ragionata delle sezioni incompiute.Il libro è arricchito da 72 immagini e mappe, molte delle quali provenienti dagli archivi personali di Honor Frost, e viene pubblicato in doppia lingua, inglese e italiano, secondo le sue volontà, affinché questa straordinaria vicenda possa essere condivisa con la comunità di Marsala e con un pubblico internazionale.English abstract:Over half a century ago, maritime archaeologist Honor Frost led an interdisciplinary team that uncovered an exceptional Punic shipwreck off the western coast of Sicily.The excavation, study, and conservation of the shipwreck—dated to the 3rd century BCE and now on display at the Museo Archeologico Regionale Lilibeo–Marsala—marked a groundbreaking achievement in the history of underwater archaeology. To this day, the Punic Ship of Marsala remains the only surviving ancient galley of the Mediterranean Sea.The Second Life of a Phoenix takes shape from an unfinished manuscript by Honor Frost, recently discovered in her personal archives. In her Sicilian memoir, she recounts firsthand her experiences, challenges, and discoveries as director of the Punic Ship Project, while delving into the intellectual debates shaping the emerging discipline of maritime archaeology at that time. She illustrates the Mediterranean environment within which the ‘phoenix-ship’ likely came to grief; and the Sicilian context where she was able to bring it back to a second life.The original manuscript comprises seven complete chapters (covering the years 1969–1973), along with notes for five additional chapters spanning the following years. The editors—both maritime archaeologists—introduce and contextualize the work, and provide a vital reconstruction of the unfinished sections.The volume includes 72 photographs and maps, many drawn from Frost’s personal archive, and is published in both English and Italian, in accordance with her wishes, to ensure her story reaches the community of Marsala and beyond.