from oak and with a lead-filled stock, was discovered off the ship's starboard bow, with the remains of rope still attached. The anchor's body, from head through shank to arm, was carved from a single timber, as was the stock. The wood used in its construction was identical to the one used on the ship's tenons, suggesting it was made by the same carpenters or shipwrights as the boat itself. A tooth made of copper had almost entirely corroded away. Significance The discovery of the ship provided researchers with insights into the development of ancient shipbuilding. The ship displays many similarities to other ancient ships such as the Kyrenia ship, but also important differences in size, construction methods and material, and ballast. Beside offering clues to the evolution of anchors, the Ma'agan Michael anchor is also the first complete one-armed ancient wooden anchor ever discovered. Although absent from iconographic and literary source, maritime archaeologist Gerhard Käpitan had already suggested their existence in the 1970s. The discovery not only confirmed this variety existed but that it was neither crude nor restricted to small craft. Preservation and display All finds and ship components retrieved from the sea were immediately placed in fresh-water tanks. From there the timber was transferred to permanent preservation tanks in the University of Haifa, where the timber went through a seven-year process of impregnation by heated polyethylene glycol (PEG) to enhance dimensional stability by replacing the water in the cells. Completed in 1996, the wood was then left to season until March 1999, when it was transferred to a dedicated wing built at the Hecht Museum, on the university grounds. The reassembled boat is currently on display along with selected finds including the anchor, ropes, woodworking tools, ornamental wooden boxes and pottery from the wreck. Replica On March 17, 2017, a replica of the boat was launched, by the University of Haifa and the Israel Antiquities Authority, at Haifa Bay. See also The Sea of Galilee Boat Kyrenia ship Archaeology of Israel References Bibliography External links The Ma'agan Michael Ship on the University of Haifa website The Ma'agan Michael Ship on the Hecht Museum website 1985 archaeological discoveries Maritime archaeology in Israel Ships preserved in museums Phoenician shipwrecks