Ancient CyprusAncient Cyprus

Archaeologist · Scholar

George Fletcher Bass

1932–2021 · United States

American underwater archaeologist who handed the 1967 Cyprus survey to Michael Katzev, whose team found the Kyrenia ship, and briefly based his Institute of Nautical Archaeology on Cyprus.

Biography

In 1967 George F. Bass was invited to survey Cypriot waters and recommended his student Michael Katzev in his place; the Cyprus Underwater Archaeological Search of September 1967 found the Kyrenia ship2,3. Bass was born on 9 December 1932 in Columbia, South Carolina, and took his PhD at the University of Pennsylvania in 19641. He co-directed the 1960 excavation of the Late Bronze Age wreck at Cape Gelidonya, off Turkey, dated to about 1200 BC5, and published it in 19676.

He resigned from Pennsylvania in 1973 and, with Katzev's help, funded the Institute of Nautical Archaeology. Michael and Susan Katzev persuaded him to put its headquarters on Cyprus, and its first project was completing the reconstruction of the Kyrenia hull in the castle there3. The Institute's first Turkish surveys of 1973, at Bozburun and Serce Limani, were run from Cyprus2. The events of 1974 ended the arrangement, and the Institute moved to Texas A&M University in 19764. He wrote Katzev's obituary, and died on 2 March 2021 in Bryan, Texas1.

Life and work

  1. 1960
    Co-directed, with Joan du Plat Taylor, the excavation of the Late Bronze Age wreck off Cape Gelidonya (Turkey), the first ancient shipwreck excavated entirely underwater; Bass published it in 1967. Cargo of Cypriot-trade metal is of Cyprus interest, but the site is in Turkey.

    Cape Gelidonya, TurkeyGeorge Bass (archaeologist)Bass et al. 1967tribute to J. Richard…, p. 141

  2. 1964
    PhD in Classical Archaeology, University of Pennsylvania.

    PhiladelphiaGeorge Bass (archaeologist)

  3. 1965–1967
    Supervised Michael Katzev's doctoral work at Penn; the two worked at Yassiada, Turkey (1964, 1967).

    Yassiada, TurkeyHarpster 2018Bass 2002, p. 1

  4. 1967
    Invited to undertake a survey of Cypriot waters, he recommended that Michael Katzev direct it instead; the resulting Cyprus Underwater Archaeological Search (September 1967) led to the Kyrenia shipwreck, excavated by Katzev 1968-1969.

    CyprusBass 2002, p. 1Harpster 2018

  5. 1972
    Founded the American Institute of Nautical Archaeology (renamed Institute of Nautical Archaeology in 1979).

    Institute of Nautical Archaeology…, p. 5938

  6. 1973
    Resigned from Penn; with Michael Katzev's help secured seed funding for the Institute. Katzev and Susan Katzev persuaded Bass to put INA headquarters on Cyprus (Kyrenia Castle); INA's first project there was completing the Kyrenia hull reconstruction; the Institute's first Turkish surveys of 1973 were run from Cyprus. The 1974 events ended the Cyprus base.

    KyreniaInstitute of Nautical Archaeology…, p. 5938Bass 2002, p. 1Harpster 2018

  7. 1976
    INA moved to Texas and affiliated with Texas A&M University; Bass, J. R. Steffy, D. L. Hamilton and F. van Doorninck were core faculty of the new Nautical Archaeology Program.

    College Station, TexasInstitute of Nautical Archaeology…, p. 5938tribute to J. Richard…, p. 141

  8. 2001
    Wrote the obituary of Michael L. Katzev (1939-2001).

    Bass 2002, p. 1

Connections

5 people
Robin C. M. PiercyMichael KatzevJoan du Plat TaylorSusan Womer KatzevJ. Richard SteffyGeorge Fletcher Bass
FieldworkScholarshipColleagues

Fieldwork & employment

Scholarship

Colleagues & contacts

Sources

  1. 1.“George Bass (archaeologist)”. Wikipedia. Online
  2. 2.Matthew Harpster (2018). “Kyrenia Shipwreck Excavation”. Encyclopedia of Global Archaeology. Springer. Online
  3. 3.George F. Bass (2002). “Michael Lazare Katzev, 1939-2001”. Online
  4. 4.“Institute of Nautical Archaeology (INA)”. Online
  5. 5.“tribute to J. Richard Steffy”. Online
  6. 6.G. F. Bass, P. Throckmorton, J. du Plat Taylor, J. B. Hennessy et al. (1967). “Cape Gelidonya: A Bronze Age Shipwreck”. Transactions of the American Philosophical Society, new series 57, 1-177. Philadelphia, American Philosophical Society. Online
  7. 7.G. F. Bass (1970). Archaeology Underwater. Pelican Books.
  8. 8.G. F. Bass, M. L. Katzev (1968). “New tools for underwater archaeology”. Archaeology 21, 164-173.