Researchers studying a shipwreck near Kekova Island off southern Turkey say its artifacts date from roughly 4,400 to 4,700 years ago, potentially making it the oldest known wreck, CNN reported October 14.
The announcement concerns its age, rather than a newly located site. Excavation leader Hakan Öniz of Akdeniz University told CNN the wreck was discovered four years ago, about 100 feet below the surface.
The team initially considered its storage jars, known as amphorae, more recent. Comparisons with vessels found near Egypt’s Giza pyramids prompted further investigation and consultation with archaeologist Karin Sowada. Öniz said anchors and other artifacts also supported the earlier period.
Turkey’s culture minister, Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, said in a statement that clay analysis suggested the jars came from workshops in the Jordan Valley. Similar pottery found in Egypt, Troy and Crete could help researchers understand trading connections across the eastern Mediterranean.
Some interpretations remain tentative. The jars probably carried oil or wine, while marks on one vessel suggest possible dairy-making. A proposed route toward Troy or Crete is also a hypothesis. The oldest-wreck description remains the research team’s assessment.
