World’s oldest shipwreck discovered off coast of Turkey
There’s little left of the ship itself but based on clues from its cargo, a research team has tentatively dated the wreck to around 2700–2400 BCE.
An underwater archaeological marvel has emerged off the coast of Turkey, identified as the world's oldest shipwreck to date. This unprecedented discovery, according to a team of archaeologists, could potentially reshape our knowledge of ancient trade routes in the Mediterranean during the Early Bronze Age. The shipwreck, though largely submerged, was located in shallow waters off Kekova, west of Antalya, Turkey.
It is believed to have been afloat approximately 4,500 years ago, with its age ranging from 2700–2400 BCE. Prior to this discovery, the oldest known shipwreck was off the coast of Greece, estimated to be around 4,200 years old. The ship itself has long vanished under the sea, but its cargo, particularly a plethora of pottery vessels, has provided crucial insights into the ship's origin and trade activities.
The pottery pieces, now partially damaged, bear marks of their original form, revealing information about the ship's probable route, its source of pottery, and the commodities it carried. These findings could also suggest that similar ships might have used this route for trade with other ports. The discovery has significant implications for understanding the early trade networks of the Mediterranean region, a critical period marked by the advent of monumental structures like the Giza pyramids.
The wreck, which was likely carrying goods from the eastern Mediterranean, provides a glimpse into the maritime trade at a time when Egypt was importing commodities like cedar, tin, oil, resins, lapis lazuli, and silver from regions like the Lavrion mines near Athens. The exact nature and identity of the commodities, however, require further scientific analysis.
This underwater time capsule, discovered by Associate Professor Hakan Öniz of Akdeniz University, Antalya, not only contributes to our understanding of ancient maritime trade but also highlights the rich underwater heritage of Turkey.
Written by urgent.news from The Conversation AU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
