One might think Guernsey would jump at the chance at offering something that Jersey doesn't have but the cost of displaying the Roman wreck, estimated at just over 1 million pounds, has held things up. Since Guernsey, like all the Channel Islands, is a millionaire's haven, the (thirty-year) delay may conceivably be down to lack of interest rather than lack of money.
The ship would no doubt have generated more excitement in a more appropriate setting. It's to be hoped that Guernsey starts taking a keener interest in its maritime history. This find does after all apparently confirm the role of the Channel Islands as a waystation on the Atlantic sea route, of international importance and, according to the report, "one of the oldest European sea-going ships found outside the Mediterranean and probably the largest surviving object from Roman Britain."
Trapped within the pitch were many objects including tile from what appeared to be its galley, plus pottery and coins. Food remains were found deep in the bilge. Objects recovered come from as far away as Algeria and Germany, suggesting this ship may have been a coaster, engaged in what the French call cabotage, carrying cargoes of opportunity from port to port. The identifiable pottery and the blocks of pitch suggest that the final journey began in southwest France.
Two intriguing finds were a pair of cast bronze bearings, thought to have been from the bilge pump. Similar bearings are known from Roman shipwrecks in the Mediterranean (Foerster 1984). Their presence demonstrates the hybrid nature of this vessel – a thoroughly Roman piece of engineering fitted into a Celtic-style craft. Much the same can be said for the use of standard Roman roof tiles for the galley roof.
The ship is the islandʼs largest and most significant ancient object. We already have evidence that Guernsey played a part in the Iron Age Atlantic wine trade (Galliou 1986), and we know that as far back as the Neolithic, objects from France were coming here by boat (Sebire 2005, 56). The Roman ship fills another gap in the story, demonstrating that St Peter
Port played a role in the trade networks of the Roman Empire 1600 years ago. It is part of Guernseyʼs long history as a waystation, entrepot, and harbour of refuge.
