Ahoy - Mac's Web Log

From: Josh Newman
December 02, 2008
Subject: Oldest shipwreck found...

...I'm sure you probably know this by now, but in case you never knew The Uluburun shipwreck of the southern coast in Kas, Turkey has a date of 1306 BC.  I only write this in response to a posting in saw in your weblog http://www.ahoy.tk-jk.net/macslog/Whatistheoldestshipwrecke.html 

Joshua Newman
 
Glad I could contribute...here is a link to the excavation site page
http://ina.tamu.edu/ub_main.htm
Joshua Newman

Joshua,

Thank you f or that.

We will add it to our AHOY site at the URL where the original shipwreck is discussed.

Kindest regards,
Mac.

 

The site of Tektas Burnu shipwreck showing amphoras in a depth of 42 metres.

In January of 2003 it was announced that the remains of an ancient trading vessel had been discovered in the Black Sea off the coast of Bulgaria. It is reportedly over 2,300 years old, dating back to the time of Plato in Greece. It is claimed to be the oldest ship ever found in the Black Sea, and was first seen on the 1st. of August 2002, in 275 feet of water from a three person submersible launched from the Bulgarian research ship Akademik.

A pile of amphoras were at first sighted, the amphora is a two handled clay jar that was  
used by both Greek and Roman merchants, and measured three feet tall, by one and a half feet wide. One amphora contained bones of a large freshwater cat fish, some olive pits and resin, cut marks in the fish bones are consistent with these amphora being used to store fish type steaks, ie. the cat fish were cut up into 2 to 3 inch chunks, and were most likely salted and dried for their preservation during shipment.

Bob Ballard famed for his discovery of Titanic, says that the remains of the ship found was most likely a supply ship carrying a load of fish from the Black Sea back to Greece. Carbon dating of these fish bones puts them at between 2490/2280 years old.

Put caption here

Oldest Shipwreck.
It would appear that the oldest shipwreck found to date, is that of the 5th. BC vessel which was found in 1996 at Tektas, Burnu in Turkey. This site is located in the Agean off the west coast of Turkey, between the Greek isles of Chios and Samos.

The excavation of this ancient ship began in 1999 by the Bodium Underwater Archeology Institute headed up by George Bass.

This ship lays at a depth of 39 to 42 meters, and has some 60 amphoras in the vessel, it is reportedly but a small ship, as the Uluburum shipwreck previously excavated near Bodum had 1,500 amphoras on board.

In the central area of this site, two halves of the stock of a lead anchor were found, this is the earliest evidence of metal being used to form an anchor.

The excavation on this latest find is expected to last two years, and it is hoped to uncover unknown facts about the 5th. Century BC. This is the first ship belonging to the classical age, when the Peloponnesian wars had just started.

Map showing location of Tektas,Turkey, the site of the oldest shipwreck yet found.

 

One of the amphoras recovered from the wreck.

 

Hand painted jug found at the site of 5th.BC shipwreck at Tektas Turkey

 

A model of a 4th. Century BC merchant vessel.
It is hoped the excavation of the Tektas shipwreck will throw new light
on the type of vessel used in even earlier times.