Ancient Mediterranean Trade Ship Dating to 4,400-4,700 Years Discovered Off Turkey
Archaeologists have uncovered a 33-foot wooden vessel off Turkey's coast, dated to 4,400-4,700 years ago, with well-preserved amphorae that may reveal early trade routes across the Mediterranean.
Archaeologists working off the Turkish coast have identified a 33-foot wooden ship that dates to between 4,400 and 4,700 years ago, making it the oldest known shipwreck. The vessel, which sank in the Mediterranean Sea, was carrying a cargo of about 30 ceramic storage jars, known as amphorae, and three stone anchors.
Turkey's Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy said the find could provide new information about ancient trading connections and the daily lives of seafarers during the era when the Pyramids of Giza were being built. "The shipwreck is a time capsule at the bottom of the sea," said Hakan Öniz, an associate professor at Akdeniz University who led the expedition.
The amphorae, characterized by two handles, a flat base and a central ridge, were examined by archaeologist Karin Sowada of Macquarie University. She reported that some jars still contained a viscous, glossy residue, indicating that the original contents—likely olive oil or wine—had been largely preserved.
Scientific analysis of the clay suggests the jars were produced in workshops in the Jordan Valley region of the Middle East. "It appears the vessel sank while transporting olive oil or wine from that region westward—perhaps to Troy or to the Minoan civilization in Crete," Öniz explained.
Similar amphorae have been found at archaeological sites in Egypt, Troy and Crete, supporting the idea of extensive early Mediterranean trade. The discovery surpasses the previous record holder, a shipwreck in the Aegean Sea near Greece dated to about 4,200 years ago.