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Video. World’s Oldest Shipwreck Discovered Off Turkey’s Mediterranean Coast
The 10-meter trade vessel carried more than 30 amphorae and three stone anchors, researchers said, and now ranks as the world’s oldest known shipwreck.
- Prof Hakan of Akdeniz University led the Mediterranean Archaeology Association in discovering the world's oldest shipwreck off Kekova Island, Turkey, dating to the Early Bronze Age between 4,400 and 4,700 years old.
- The discovery tops the world's oldest shipwrecks list, surpassing a wreck off Dokos, Greece, dated to about 4,200 years ago. Prof Hakan described the site as a "time capsule at the bottom of the sea."
- Divers recovered more than 30 ceramic storage pots called amphorae from 30m deep. Karin Sowada, an archaeologist from Macquarie University, Australia, examined them and found they still contained a viscous, glossy residue.
- Residue analysis suggests the jars may have contained olive oil, wine, or tree resins and were likely reused for trade. Sowada noted these large vessels were not simply discarded after a single voyage.
- The trade vessel likely traveled across the Mediterranean Sea carrying cargo toward the ancient city of Troy or to the Minoan people in Crete. This find illuminates maritime activity during the Early Bronze Age.
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Although the wooden hull of the ship has not been salvaged, more than 30 ceramic vessels for transporting and storing products, as well as three large stone anchors, were found on the seabed.
·Marousi, Greece
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The Independent (US)Reposted by 
Western Morning News
Western Morning NewsWorld’s oldest shipwreck discovered off coast of Turkey
Early Bronze Age vessel was likely built around the same time as the Great Pyramid of Giza
·London, United Kingdom
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Underwater excavations near Kekova Island in Antalya have unearthed amphoras dating back approximately 4,400 to 4,700 years. The findings offer new insights into maritime trade and the daily lives of seafarers during the Early Bronze Age.
·Istanbul, Türkiye
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Total News Sources36
Leaning Left5Leaning Right2Center3Last UpdatedBias Distribution50% Left
Bias Distribution
- 50% of the sources lean Left
50% Left
L 50%
C 30%
R 20%
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