In brief
A 4,400‑to‑4,700‑year‑old vessel, now the record holder for antiquity, was found 30 metres beneath the waters of southern Turkey’s coast. While the wooden hull itself is lost, more than thirty amphorae harboured cargo that still contains trace residues, offering clues to ancient trade goods. Since radiocarbon dating was impossible, pottery typology linked the wreck to early Bronze Age cultures of Egypt and the Middle East. The find sheds light on maritime links to Troy and Crete and promises display at a new underwater archaeology museum.
A 4,400‑to‑4,700‑year‑old vessel, dating to the Early Bronze Age, has been found 30 m beneath the waters off Kekova Island in Turkey, setting a new world record for the oldest known shipwreck.
The fragile wreck was uncovered by the Mediterranean Archaeology Association. While the wooden hull has not survived, more than 30 ceramic amphorae and three stone anchors were recovered, and traces of the original cargo – possibly olive oil, wine or tree resin – were still visible inside the amphorae.
With no wood to date, researchers turned to pottery typology. The amphorae feature a distinctive twin‑handle shape, a central ridge and a flat base, a design that matches similar vessels from Egypt and the Middle East dated to 4,400‑4,700 years ago, confirming an Early Bronze Age provenance.
Experts believe the ship was bound for either the ancient city of Troy or the Minoan civilisation on Crete, offering fresh insight into early maritime trade routes across the Mediterranean. The cargo and vessel thus provide a rare glimpse into the people, goods and routes of the era.
The recovered artefacts are currently undergoing careful conservation and will soon be displayed at the new Mediterranean Underwater Archaeology Museum in Antalya, as announced by Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy. The discovery highlights the importance of underwater exploration and expert preservation in unraveling humanity’s maritime past.
