Stories
World's Oldest Shipwreck Discovered Off Coast of Turkiye
- •Archaeologists have discovered what is believed to be the world's oldest shipwreck off the coast of Kekova in Turkiye, dating back approximately 4,500 years to 2700-2400 BCE.
- •The previous record holder was a shipwreck off the coast of Dokos in Greece, which was estimated to be around 4,200 years old.
- •While the wooden structure of the ship has decomposed, researchers recovered cargo including large ceramic storage vessels and amphorae embedded in the seabed.
- •Analysis of the pottery suggests the ship was traveling along the southern coast of Turkiye and could transform our understanding of Early Bronze Age trade networks in the Mediterranean.
Key Questions Answered
Archaeologists have tentatively identified a shipwreck off the coast of Kekova, Turkiye, as the world's oldest known shipwreck. Based on clues from its pottery cargo, researchers have dated the wreck to around 2700-2400 BCE, which is approximately 4,500 years ago.
Prior to the discovery of the shipwreck off the coast of Turkiye, the world's oldest known shipwreck was a wreck located off the coast of Dokos in Greece. That vessel was estimated to be from about 4,200 years ago.
While little remains of the ship's timbers due to underwater exposure, researchers dated the wreck by examining its cargo of pottery vessels. The shape and manufacturing techniques of the large ceramic storage jars provided critical clues about their origin and date, while pending scientific analyses of visible residues may reveal what commodities were carried.
