A Netanya beach lifeguard who stumbled on an iron anchor while out for a swim has led marine archeologists to uncover the first evidence of an ancient anchorage for sailing vessels in Netanya (Israel). The lifeguard summoned the archeologists to the scene after noticing the iron anchor near the Netanya shore during a swimming workout two weeks ago. The Israel Antiquities Authority's marine unit subsequently uncovered five large stone anchors dating back 4,000 years during an underwater survey at the site. The anchors, which archeologists date to the late Middle Bronze Age, have a single perforation, are 0.9m high and 0.6m wide and weigh 150 kilograms each.
     Kobi Sharvit, director of the Marine Unit of the Antiquities Authority, said that these were the first finds indicating the existence of an anchorage site for sailing vessels thousands of years ago in Netanya. "The scattering of anchors along the seabed within such a limited area demonstrates that this region was used as an anchorage for sailing vessels during antiquity," he said.

Source: The Jerusalem Post (31 October 2006)