Archaeology & History

Fleet of shipwrecks found in the Mediterranean

By T.K. Randall
April 21, 2020 ·  3 comments

The discovery has been hailed as 'truly ground-breaking'. Image Credit: Cornelis Verbeeck The vessels, which are situated approximately 1.2 miles beneath the Levantine Sea between Cyprus and Lebanon, has been described as an "embarrassment of wonders."

The find represents the discovery of a previously unknown maritime silk and spice route linking China in the east with Persia, the Red Sea and the Mediterranean.

"It doesn't get better than this," said archaeologist Sean Kingsley from the Enigma Shipwreck Project (ESP). "For an archaeologist it's the equivalent of finding a new planet."

The shipwrecks themselves, which date back to between the 19th Century and the 3rd Century BC, include vessels from the Greek, Roman and Ottoman empires.One ship - a 17th-century Ottoman merchant ship - is absolutely enormous and could have easily carried two normal-sized ships on its top deck.

Its cargo included a vast wealth of goods and artefacts from 14 distinct civilizations.

"At 43 metres long and with a 1,000-ton burden, it is one of the most spectacular examples of maritime technology and trade in any ocean. Its size is matched by the breadth of its cargoes," said Kingsley.

The Enigma Shipwreck Project has found a cluster of 12 sunken vessels deep under the eastern Mediterranean. Dating from Ancient Greece to the Ottoman empire, the remains of their cargoes provide a wealth of info. #InTheNews

First reports just appearing. https://t.co/M1OGtajkWg

— Boydell & Brewer (@boydellbrewer) April 21, 2020

Source: The Guardian | Comments (3)

Tags: Shipwreck