Honor Frost
Encyclopedia
Honor Frost was a pioneer in the field of underwater archaeology, who led many mediterranean archaeological investigations specially in the Lebanon and was noted for her typology of stone anchors and skills in archaeological illustration.
, Cyprus. She was orphaned at an early age and became the ward
of Wilfred Evill, a London solicitor.
and she worked as a diver and artist in the early 1950s in France and Italy. Her first experience of the underwater excavation of shipwrecks was with Frederic Dumas
. She met Joan du Plat Taylor
at the Institute of Archaeology
in London and in 1959 went on to work with Du Plat Taylor, Dumas and Peter Throckmorton
in Turkey; an expedition that resulted in the discovery of the late Bronze Age shipwreck at Gelidonya, for which Frost is credited as having realised the significance and which later was the site of George Bass
's and Peter Throckmorton
's first experience of underwater archaeology at Cape Gelidonya
in the Antayla region of souther Turkey. The Bronze Age ship wreck, which dated to the 12 century BC was the oldest known shipwreck in the world at that time.
In 1968 she led an UNESCO
expedition to survey the Pharos site in the Port of Alexandria, for which she was later awarded, in 1997, a French government medal for pioneering submarine archaeology in Egypt.
From 1971 she led the investigation of the Marsala Punic Warship
in Sicily, Italy
In 2005, BSAC
awarded her the Colin McLeod award for Furthering international co-operation in diving for her work in archaeology
She died on 12 September 2010.
Early life
An only child, Frost was born in NicosiaNicosia
Nicosia from , known locally as Lefkosia , is the capital and largest city in Cyprus, as well as its main business center. Nicosia is the only divided capital in the world, with the southern and the northern portions divided by a Green Line...
, Cyprus. She was orphaned at an early age and became the ward
Ward (law)
In law, a ward is someone placed under the protection of a legal guardian. A court may take responsibility for the legal protection of an individual, usually either a child or incapacitated person, in which case the ward is known as a ward of the court, or a ward of the state, in the United States,...
of Wilfred Evill, a London solicitor.
Career
Frost became a diver soon after Cousteaus's invention of SCUBAScuba
Scuba is an acronym for self-contained underwater breathing apparatus. It may also refer to:* Scuba diving, the use of a self-contained breathing set to stay underwater for periods of time* Scuba set, the equipment used to do scuba diving...
and she worked as a diver and artist in the early 1950s in France and Italy. Her first experience of the underwater excavation of shipwrecks was with Frederic Dumas
Frédéric Dumas
Frédéric Dumas was part of a team of three, with Jacques-Yves Cousteau and Philippe Tailliez, in which he was nicknamed Didi. They had a passion for diving, and developed the diving regulator with the aid of the engineer Émile Gagnan...
. She met Joan du Plat Taylor
Joan du Plat Taylor
Joan Du Plat Taylor was one of the first maritime archaeologists.Her parents were Colonel St.John Louis Hyde du Plat Taylor and Alice Home-Purves and her grandfather was Colonel John Lowther du Plat Taylor CB VD...
at the Institute of Archaeology
Institute of Archaeology
The UCL Institute of Archaeology is an academic department of the Social & Historical Sciences Faculty of University College London , England. It is one of the largest departments of archaeology in the world, with over 80 members of academic staff and 500 students...
in London and in 1959 went on to work with Du Plat Taylor, Dumas and Peter Throckmorton
Peter Throckmorton
Peter Throckmorton , DMH, American journalist and underwater archaeologist is one of several pioneer underwater archaeologists frequently described as the Father of Underwater Archaeology. Throckmorton was a founding member of the Sea Research Society and served on its Board of Advisors until his...
in Turkey; an expedition that resulted in the discovery of the late Bronze Age shipwreck at Gelidonya, for which Frost is credited as having realised the significance and which later was the site of George Bass
George Bass (archaeologist)
George Fletcher Bass is recognized as one of the early practitioners of underwater archaeology, along with Peter Throckmorton, Honor Frost, and others....
's and Peter Throckmorton
Peter Throckmorton
Peter Throckmorton , DMH, American journalist and underwater archaeologist is one of several pioneer underwater archaeologists frequently described as the Father of Underwater Archaeology. Throckmorton was a founding member of the Sea Research Society and served on its Board of Advisors until his...
's first experience of underwater archaeology at Cape Gelidonya
Cape Gelidonya
Cape Gelidonya near Finike, Turkey is the site of a late Bronze Age wreck . In view of the cargo's nature and composition the excavators have proposed a possible levantine provenance. The remains of the ship sat at a depth of about 27 m, on irregular rocky bottom. It was located in 1954, and the...
in the Antayla region of souther Turkey. The Bronze Age ship wreck, which dated to the 12 century BC was the oldest known shipwreck in the world at that time.
In 1968 she led an UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
expedition to survey the Pharos site in the Port of Alexandria, for which she was later awarded, in 1997, a French government medal for pioneering submarine archaeology in Egypt.
From 1971 she led the investigation of the Marsala Punic Warship
Marsala (ship)
The Marsala Ship is the earliest warship known from archeological evidence. It is a wreck discovered in 1969 in an area called Punta Scario in the harbor of Marsala in western Sicily, Italy, near the Aegadian Islands. The Marsala Ship's "nationality" was painted on the sides with letters by its...
in Sicily, Italy
In 2005, BSAC
BSAC
BSAC can stand for:*Berkeley Sensor and Actuator Center*Bit Sliced Arithmetic Coding, audio coding from MPEG-4 Part 3*British South Africa Company*British Sub-Aqua Club*British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy*Black Swamp Area Council...
awarded her the Colin McLeod award for Furthering international co-operation in diving for her work in archaeology
She died on 12 September 2010.
Selected Papers
- Under the Mediterranean: Marine Antiquities published by Routledge (1963, 1969)
- Diggings In The Deep in Saudi Aramco World November/December (1964) pp28–32
- Ancore, the potsherds of marine archaeology: on the recording of pierced stones from the Mediterranean In Marine Archaeology 1973, pp. 397–409.
- The Punic wreck in Sicily 1. Second season of excavation (1974), In International Journal Nautical Archaeology Volume 3 Issue 1 pp35–40 (1974)
- The Marsals Punic Warship
- The Pharos Site, Alexandria, Egypt International Journal of Nautical Archaeology, (1975) 4:126–130.
- When is a wreck not a wreck International Journal of Nautical Archaeology, (1976) vol 5 issue 2 pp 101–105
- Pyramidal Stone Anchors: An Enquiry in Institute of Nautical Archaeology (INA) TROPIS Volume 1 (1985)
- Where did they build ancient warships? in Institute of Nautical Archaeology (INA) TROPIS Volume 2 (1987)
- How Carthage Lost the Sea: Off the Coast of Sicily, a Punic Warship Gives up its Secret, Natural History, December 1987; 58–67
- Where did Bronze Age Ships Keep their Stone Anchors? in Institute of Nautical Archaeology (INA) TROPIS Volume 3 (1989)
- Old Saws Institute of Nautical Archaeology (INA) TROPIS Volume 4 (1991)
External links
- Treasures of the Sunken City NOVA broadcast of the Excavation of Alexandria