4,400-year-old shipwreck off Turkey becomes world's oldest
Archaeologists found a Bronze Age trade ship off Turkey. It is dated 4,400 to 4,700 years old. This surpasses the previous oldest known wreck.
The wreck lies 30 metres beneath the waves near Kekova Island in Antalya, Turkey. It is scattered across an underwater slope.
The ship was about 10 metres long. It carried clay pots called amphorae, three stone anchors, and other cargo.
No wood survived the millennia underwater. Researchers dated the ship by studying the shape of the pottery.
They compared it with known objects from Egypt and the Middle East. Some amphorae still contained a glossy residue, possibly olive oil, wine or tree resins.
The archaeologists say the ship started its voyage from somewhere along the eastern coast of the Mediterranean. They believe it carried goods to either ancient Troy or the Minoan people in Crete.
An Australian archaeologist from Macquarie University examined the recovered pots. The archaeologist was surprised at how much residue remained inside after thousands of years.
- 4,400 to 4,700 years old
- Wreck age
- 30 metres beneath waves
- Depth
- About 10 metres
- Ship length
- More than 30
- Amphorae found
Why it mattersThis discovery changes what we know about seafaring and trade in the ancient world. It shows how people managed the risks of sailing 4,400 years ago.
AustraliaAn Australian researcher from Macquarie University contributed to the analysis, adding to Australia's role in major archaeological discoveries.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 2 h ago
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