"As old as the pyramids": A thousands-year-old shipwreck found in the Mediterranean

A shipwreck dating back 4,400 to 4,700 years has been discovered near the island of Kekova in Antalya, Turkey. The vessel, from the Early Bronze Age, is the oldest known shipwreck to date. The wooden structure did not survive, but clay jars containing remnants of cargo were found. Archaeologists dated it based on the style of the amphorae.

A shipwreck dating back 4,400 to 4,700 years has been discovered near the island of Kekova in Antalya, southern Turkey, as reported by the BBC. The vessel, from the Early Bronze Age, is roughly contemporary with the construction of the Great Pyramid of Giza and is the oldest known shipwreck to date. The wooden structure of the ship did not survive, but clay jars used for storing cargo were found lying on the seabed, some still containing remnants of their contents. The ship was about 10 meters long and served as a trading vessel in the Mediterranean. Professor Hakan Öniz from Akdeniz University, who led the expedition, described it as a 'time capsule'. The finds are scattered on an underwater slope at a depth of 30 meters. The ship was dated based on the style of the amphorae, as the disappearance of the wood prevented carbon-14 dating. More than 30 clay jars were discovered, and their design matches amphorae from Egypt and the Middle East dating back 4,400 to 4,700 years. Researchers are working to determine what was carried in the amphorae—possibly olive oil, wine, or tree resin, according to Dr. Karin Sowada, an archaeologist from Australia.