Archaeologists discover world oldest shipwreck off Turkish coast
Underwater excavations off Kekova Island have uncovered a 4,700-year-old Early Bronze Age shipwreck carrying ancient ceramic trade cargo.
FTMQ News, written by our newsroom1 view
Archaeologists have discovered the world's oldest shipwreck off the coast of Kekova Island in Antalya, Turkey. Euronews and BBC News both report that the vessel dates back between 4,400 and 4,700 years ago, placing it in the Early Bronze Age. [1][2]
The two news outlets both report that the ship carried ceramic storage pots known as amphorae. BBC News reported that the wooden structure of the ten-metre vessel did not survive, but many cargo pots remained on the sea floor, with some still containing traces of their original contents. [1][2]
BBC News noted that the ship dates to around the same time that the Great Pyramid was being built. Euronews reported that Turkey's Minister of Culture and Tourism, Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, stated on social media that researchers are bringing to light traces of the world's oldest shipwreck in the country's waters. [1][2]
The discovery is expected to provide new insights into Anatolia's maritime history and ancient trade networks across the Eastern Mediterranean, according to Euronews and BBC News. [1][2]
In short
- The shipwreck discovered off Kekova Island is estimated to be between 4,400 and 4,700 years old.
- The vessel dates to the Early Bronze Age, around the time the Great Pyramid was built.
- Although the wooden hull dissolved, ceramic amphorae were recovered from the sea floor.
- The ship was approximately ten metres long and operated as an ancient trading vessel.
Sources
Every paragraph above points to the numbered items it rests on. Read the originals here.
- [1]World’s oldest shipwreck off Turkey: 4,700-year-old amphorae discoveredEuronews, 1h ago (the report this story comes from)
- [2]Shipwreck thought to be 4,700 years old found off coast of TurkeyBBC News, 8h ago
Our newsroom writes these reports with the help of software, from the 2 sources listed and nothing else, and checks them against those sources. Facts can still be wrong or move on; the originals are the record. Spotted a mistake? Write to daniel@monsterkong.com.
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