World's oldest shipwreck found off Turkey coast

Archaeologists have identified a shipwreck off Turkey's southern coast that may be the oldest ever found, dating between 4,400 and 4,700 years to the Early Bronze Age. The vessel was located near Kekova island in Antalya province at a depth of just 30 meters.

Although the wooden hull has not survived, the cargo remains scattered on an underwater slope. Researchers recovered more than 30 ceramic storage jars, known as amphoras, and three large stone anchors. Some jars still contain residue of their original contents, possibly olive oil or wine.

“The shipwreck is a time capsule on the seabed.”

Professor Hakan Öniz of Akdeniz University, who led the Mediterranean Underwater Archaeology expedition, described the site as a "time capsule on the seabed." The ship measured roughly 10 meters long and served as a merchant vessel crossing the Mediterranean.

Dating relied on pottery typology rather than radiocarbon analysis because no organic wood survived. The amphoras feature two handles, a central ridge, and a flat base, linking them to similar finds in Egypt and Central Anatolia.

Turkish Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy announced the discovery Wednesday, calling it exceptionally important for understanding Anatolia's maritime history. The recovered artifacts are now undergoing conservation for detailed study.