World's Oldest Shipwreck Discovered Off Coast of Antalya

Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy announced that 4,700-year-old ceramic storage vessels dating to the Early Bronze Age were discovered during underwater excavations near Kekova Island off the coast of Antalya.

Historic Discovery Off Kekova

Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy announced on his social media account that the world's oldest shipwreck has been brought to light near Kekova Island, located in the southern province of Antalya.

As part of the underwater excavation project launched earlier this year, numerous ancient ceramic vessels belonging to the shipwreck, whose wooden hull has not survived to the present day, were recovered by archaeologists.

Early Maritime Trade in the Eastern Mediterranean

Thought to have been used for transporting olive oil or wine, these vessels provide tangible evidence of early maritime trade and cultural exchange throughout the Eastern Mediterranean.

Clay analyses revealed that the vessels were produced in workshops in the Jordan Valley and match similar forms found in Egypt, Turkey, and Greece.

Unique Design and Route

A special vessel featuring nine marks and two holes on its body raised the possibility that it may have been used in the production of butter or cheese.

Researchers evaluate that the ship may have sunk while sailing from the Levant coast toward present-day Hisarlık or the island of Crete in Greece.

Details of the Archaeological Work

The excavations were carried out under the direction of Associate Professor Hakan Öz from Akdeniz University, and the history of the process dates back four years.

Although the team initially thought the vessels were only a century or two old, they noticed similarities with amphora forms in Egyptian archaeology publications and initiated detailed examinations in the region.