Archaeologists uncover world’s oldest shipwreck off Turkey’s coast
Archaeologists have discovered a shipwreck off the coast of Turkey that dates back approximately 4,700 years, making it the oldest known shipwreck in the world, reports BritPanorama.
During excavations at a depth of about 100 feet near Kekova Island, a variety of ancient storage vessels, known as amphorae, were recovered, according to a statement from Turkey’s culture ministry published on Wednesday.
The amphorae, dating from 4,400 to 4,700 years ago, are significant for understanding maritime history, the daily lives of mariners, and trade connections of that era.
Most of the vessels appear to have been used for transporting olive oil or wine. However, one amphora features distinctive marks and two holes, indicating it may have been utilized for making cheese or butter. This suggests that sailors may have taken goats on their voyages to use their milk for dairy production, researchers indicated.
The excavations were led by Professor Hakan Öniz from Akdeniz University in Antalya, who noted that the shipwreck was first identified four years ago. Initially thought to date from a much later period, the amphorae drew greater scrutiny after Öniz reviewed findings from amphorae discovered near the Giza pyramids in Egypt, which were under construction contemporaneously with the ship’s sinking.
“These resembled the amphorae in our shipwreck,” Öniz explained, indicating the similarity prompted a follow-up investigation. Subsequently, they invited expert on amphorae, Australian archaeologist Karin Sowada, to lend her insights to the findings.
“We reached a consensus and proceeded with further analysis,” Öniz stated, expressing confidence that this vessel represents the oldest shipwreck known to date. “It is not just the amphorae; the anchors and other artifacts found at the shipwreck site also point to the same centuries,” he added.
Turkey’s culture and tourism minister, Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, opined that these amphorae had likely been transported throughout the Eastern Mediterranean. He noted, “Clay analyses indicate that the amphorae were likely produced in workshops in the Jordan Valley.”
Further, he remarked, “The fact that similar examples have been found in Egypt, Troy, and Crete is of great importance for understanding the trade networks that connected different geographies via sea routes.”
Researchers hypothesize that the ship was en route from the Levantine coast, which spans from Turkey to Egypt, to either Troy or Crete when it met its fate.
The archaeological insights gained from this shipwreck not only illuminate the era’s trade practices but also enhance the broader understanding of ancient maritime activity across the Mediterranean.
