A maritime research expedition led by Akdeniz University has identified what researchers say is the world’s oldest known shipwreck in waters off Kekova Island in Antalya, Turkey. The vessel has been dated to between 4,400 and 4,700 years ago, placing it in the Early Bronze Age period and contemporaneous with the construction of Egypt’s Great Pyramid.
The 10-meter trade ship, which carried cargo across the Mediterranean Sea, left no surviving wooden structure on the seafloor. However, the ceramic storage containers, known as amphorae, remained largely intact. Archaeologists recovered over 30 of these vessels along with three large stone anchors scattered across an underwater slope approximately 30 meters below the surface. The distinctive pottery features two handles, a central ridge, and a flat base that matched amphorae of known age found in Egypt and the Middle East.
Since organic radiocarbon dating proved impossible without preserved wood, researchers used pottery analysis to establish the wreck’s chronology. The ceramic design and decoration techniques provided the dating evidence needed to confirm the Early Bronze Age classification. Following recovery, conservators discovered that several amphorae still contained residual material, surprising experts with the quantity of glossy, viscous substance remaining after millennia underwater.
The team is investigating the cargo’s original contents, with possibilities including olive oil, wine, or tree resins. Researchers believe the ship departed from the eastern Mediterranean coast and was likely headed toward either the ancient city of Troy in northwestern Turkey or to Minoan settlements in Crete. The discovery provides new insights into ancient Mediterranean trade networks and the maritime practices of Early Bronze Age societies.
The wreck surpasses the previous record holder, a ship discovered off Dokos island in southern Greece dated to approximately 4,200 years ago. Turkey’s Ministry of Culture, which owns the shipwreck, plans to display the recovered artifacts at the new Mediterranean Underwater Archaeology Museum in Antalya when it opens in coming months.
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