World's oldest shipwreck found off coast of Turkey

Summarised from 5 outlets · Updated 14 Oct, 11:03 · Archive

Archaeologists have discovered what they say is the world's oldest shipwreck, dated to between 4,400 and 4,700 years ago off Turkey's coast.

Archaeologists have discovered what they say is the world's oldest shipwreck off the coast of Turkey. The vessel, found near Kekova Island in Antalya in southern Turkey, is dated to between 4,400 and 4,700 years old, placing it in the Early Bronze Age, around the same time the Great Pyramid of Giza was being built.

The ship's wooden structure has not survived, but its cargo remains remarkably intact. Divers found more than 30 ceramic storage pots, known as amphorae, and three large stone anchors scattered across the seabed approximately 30 metres beneath the surface. Some of the pottery still contains traces of its original contents, though researchers have not yet determined what was stored inside.

Archaeologists believe the vessel was approximately 10 metres long and was used to transport goods across the Mediterranean as a trade ship. Prof Hakan Öniz of Akdeniz University in Turkey, who led the Mediterranean Archaeology Association expedition, described the wreck as 'a time capsule at the bottom of the sea'.

Without surviving timber, traditional radiocarbon dating could not be used to establish the wreck's age. Instead, researchers analysed the distinctive design and shape of the pottery. The amphorae feature two handles, a ridge around the middle and a flat base. This design matches similar vessels discovered in Egypt and the Middle East that are known to date to between 4,400 and 4,700 years ago.

Prof Öniz said that by comparing the decoration techniques, 'we can definitely say our wreck is Early Bronze Age. This is 100%'. The recovered artefacts are undergoing conservation.

HuffPost UK reports that a shipwreck discovered near the Greek island Dokos previously held the record as the world's oldest, believed to be around 4,200 years old. The newly discovered wreck at Kekova Island would be older if archaeologists' dating is confirmed. Dr Karin Sowada from Australia's Macquarie University, who examined the pots, noted that the containers' contents and origins remain unknown, though they could have held 'olive oil, it could be wine, it could be tree resins'.

How it is being reported

• Archaeologists Think They've Just Found The World's Oldest ShipwreckThe Titanic, which sank in 1912, is a newborn so far as historic shipwrecks go. Other sunken vessels that have been uncovered include the Queen Anne’s Revenge, an 18th-century warship once manned by Blackbeard, off the coast of North Carolina; and a Gozo Phoenician shipwreck from 700BC near Malta. Another, discovered close to the Greek island Dokos, is believed to be around 4,200 years old – and, until recently, this held the record for the most ancient shipwreck on Earth. But now, experts think it’s been beaten by a 4,400-4,700-year-old discovery in waters off Turkey’s Kekova Island. That…HuffPost UK · 14 Oct, 10:46
• World's oldest shipwreck as old as the Great Pyramid found off coast of TurkeyArchaeologists have discovered what they believe is the world’s oldest shipwreck off the coast of Turkey, uncovering an old trading vessel estimated to be as much as 4,700 years old. The wreck, found near Kekova Island in Antalya, lies around 30 metres below the Mediterranean Sea’s surface and could offer new insights into maritime commerce during the Early Bronze Age. Although the ship’s wooden structure has all but faded, its cargo of more than 30 ceramic storage jars and three large stone anchors remains scattered across the seabed. The ancient discovery dates to the period when Egypt’s…GB News · 14 Oct, 10:40
• World’s oldest shipwreck found off coast of holiday hotspotThe wreck dates back to the same time the Pyramid of Giza was being built (Picture: Anadolu via Getty Images) The world’s oldest known shipwreck has been discovered off the coast of Turkey . Archaeologists have been left stunned after finding the wreck, which dates back between 4,400 and 4,700…Metro · 14 Oct, 10:00
• World’s oldest shipwreck discovered off Turkey’s Mediterranean coastArchaeologists say a 4,400- to 4,700-year-old shipwreck found near Kekova Island in southern Turkey carried ceramic storage pots and stone anchors across the Mediterranean.Euronews · 14 Oct, 09:22
• World's oldest shipwreck found off coast of TurkeyArchaeologists say the wreck is up to 4,700 years old, dating to the Early Bronze Age.BBC Science · 14 Oct, 06:00

In this story: Turkey · Kekova Island · Antalya · Prof Hakan Öniz · Akdeniz University · Mediterranean Archaeology Association · Egypt · Middle East

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