For over 3500 years Acre served as a center of maritime activity and one of the major ports of the Holy Land. The ancient harbor consists of a southern breakwater that was dated to the Persian and the Roman periods, and the submerged eastern breakwater, which was built by Ibn-Tulon in the 9^th century CE. At the entrance to the harbor, close to the southern edge of the eastern breakwater, is a small island called ‘The Tower of the Flies’ which served as a lighthouse during the Crusader Period. The southern breakwater is currently covered by the modern breakwater of the fishing-port.

The first underwater archaeological investigations in Acre harbor were undertaken by the AURI during 1964-1966, and by the AURI and the CMS during 1976-1978, headed by E. Linder. Several seasons of underwater excavations have revealed the foundations of the ‘Tower of the Flies’, sections of the southern breakwater and the remains of an 18^th century shipwreck. When the port was deepened (1993-1999), underwater rescue surveys were carried out by the Marine Archaeology Unit headed by E. Galili and J. Sharvit. Remains of nine shipwrecks with wooden hulls were discovered in and around the ancient harbor. One of the wrecks was found inside the harbor and was dated to the Roman period, another was dated to the 11^th-13^th century, three  to the 17^th-19^th century and the others to the beginning of the 20^th century. Wooden poles of a quay dated by C14 to the 14^th century CE were documented at the entrance of the modern fishing-port. In addition, thousands of artifacts dating to the Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, Crusader, Moslem and Ottoman periods were recovered. These included: anchors, fishing-gear, ships’ cargoes, coins, pottery vessels, weapons and ammunition.