World’s Oldest Shipwreck Discovered Off Turkey’s Coast
The world’s oldest shipwreck has been discovered 30 meters beneath the surface off the coast of Kekova Island in Antalya, Turkey, displacing a previous record holder in Greece and providing new evidence of Early Bronze Age maritime trade. Archaeologists have dated the site to between 4,400 and 4,700 years old, placing its final voyage in the same era when the Great Pyramid was under construction.
The wooden structure of the 10-meter trade vessel completely disintegrated over the millennia, leaving behind an underwater debris field of more than 30 ceramic storage jars known as amphorae and three large stone anchors. Divers from the Mediterranean Archaeology Association located the artefacts scattered across an underwater slope near the Turkish shore.
Pottery Shapes Help Researchers Date the Shipwreck
Because no ship’s wood survived to allow for radiocarbon dating, researchers determined the age of the shipwreck by analyzing the shape of the recovered pottery. Akdeniz University Prof Hakan Öniz explained that the discovered amphorae feature a distinct design characterized by two handles, a ridge in the middle, and a flat base. Clay analyses indicate these vessels were probably produced in workshops located in the Jordan Valley.
The stylistic features of the pottery matched other amphorae previously unearthed in Egypt and the Middle East, Troy, and Crete. The ship may have set sail from a port along the Levantine coast on the eastern Mediterranean shoreline. Its possible destination was either Troy or Crete.
Residues in Amphorae Suggest Varied Cargo
Dr. Karin Sowada, an archaeologist from Macquarie University in Australia, examined the amphorae after divers brought them to the surface. Some jars remained intact and retained a glossy, viscous residue inside. Researchers have not yet found out exactly what was being carried in the amphorae, noting that it could be olive oil, wine, or tree resins.
Additional analysis of an unusual amphora featuring nine distinct markings and two holes suggested it may have been used as a churn for making cheese or butter. This artifact raised questions regarding whether ancient sailors transported goats aboard their vessels to produce dairy products at sea. Strong coastal currents and winds around Kekova Island historically created hazardous conditions for ancient mariners, accounting for the hundreds of shipwrecks in the surrounding waters.
Antalya Museum Will Display the Oldest Shipwreck
Turkey’s Ministry of Culture holds ownership of the shipwreck. Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy announced that the recovered artefacts will go on display for the public at the new Mediterranean Underwater Archaeology Museum in Antalya when it opens in the coming months.
The Kekova discovery now tops the list of the world’s oldest shipwrecks, surpassing the previous record holder, a site near Dokos Island in southern Greece dating back about 4,200 years. Meanwhile, the oldest known shipwreck where some of the wood is still preserved is located in the Black Sea off the coast of Bulgaria, dating to about 2,400 years ago.
Researchers continue to analyze the residue samples to find out exactly what was being carried in the amphorae, while conservation specialists work to stabilize the fragile ceramics following thousands of years underwater in the Mediterranean.