World's oldest shipwreck found in Turkey

The oldest shipwreck in the world has been discovered off the coast of Kekova, Turkey. Akdeniz University announced this identification on October 14, 2026. The ship, approximately ten meters in length, sank 4,400 to 4,700 years ago, around the time the Great Pyramid of Giza was being built. The wreck lies 30 meters beneath the surface, where ceramic amphorae and stone anchors were found.

Ship's wooden structure disintegrated over time

The ship's wooden structure did not survive nearly 5,000 years of submersion, making carbon-14 dating unusable. Instead, archaeologists analyzed the shape of ceramics scattered on a submarine slope near the island. Thirty storage jars and three heavy anchoring blocks were found on a rocky and sandy slope. Divers could only remain at this depth for thirty minutes before resurfacing.

Ceramics link ship to Early Bronze Age

The Kekova ceramics have two side handles, a central ridge, and a flat bottom. These characteristics appear on Levantine ceramics discovered in Egypt and the Near East, all dating to the Early Bronze Age. The analysis of decorative techniques confirmed this parallel. Hakan Öniş, director of the excavations, stated this dating leaves no doubt, according to the BBC.

Residue inside jars suggests ancient cargo

Several jars still contained a viscous, shiny residue despite thousands of years of submersion. These were not simple traces, but abundant deposits well preserved. The examination of the residue was ongoing.