Israel discovers oldest shipwreck in deep sea, estimated to be 3,300 years old

The ship, believed to date from the 14th to 13th centuries BC, belonging to the Late Bronze Age, was discovered by a survey team from the Energean natural gas company in the Mediterranean Sea, about 90 km off the northern coast of Israel and at a depth of 1.8 km. It is believed to be the oldest ship ever found in the deep sea.

The vase was recovered by a robot from the wreck at a depth of 1.8 km.

The ship, estimated to be nearly 3,300 years old, was carrying a cargo of goods, including hundreds of intact jars, according to The Times of Israel .

The discovery suggests that Late Bronze Age seafarers may have travelled further from shore, contrary to long-held assumptions, according to the IAA. Jacob Sharvit, head of the IAA’s marine division, said only two other Late Bronze Age cargo shipwrecks had been found in the Mediterranean, and both were found relatively close to shore, off the coast of Türkiye.

Two vases were recovered from the wreck.

"This is a discovery with great research potential. The newly discovered ship is preserved at great depths and is frozen in time from the moment of disaster. The hull and its contents have not been affected by humans or waves and tides, which wrecks in shallower waters are subject to," said Sharvit.

The IAA salvage team determined that the sunken ship was 12-14 meters long and was carrying hundreds of vases. Due to the great depth, they had to use a special tool to salvage the artifacts to avoid damage. Two vases were brought up after 2 days and will be displayed soon.

The material inside the bottle

Researchers believe that trade increased significantly during this period and the quality of ships improved, allowing for the transport of larger volumes of cargo. However, the long-standing view among academics is that ships mainly traveled close to shore, maintaining a distance where land could be seen from the deck. "This discovery changes the entire understanding of the capabilities of ancient seafarers. This is the first ship found so far from shore, without land in sight," said Mr. Sharvit.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/israel-phat-hien-xac-tau-co-nhat-duoi-long-bien-sau-uoc-tinh-3300-nam-tuoi-185240621100112668.htm