Archaeologists announced the discovery of an ancient shipwreck off Kekova Island in Antalya, Turkey, on 14 October 2026. The wreck is estimated to be 4,400–4,700 years old and is considered the oldest known shipwreck, older than a 4,200-year-old wreck near Dokos Island in Greece.
Dating and archaeological evidence
The ship’s wooden structure has disintegrated, so archaeologists used the style of ceramic vessels recovered from the seabed to estimate its age. More than 30 storage pots, known as amphorae, have two handles, a central ridge and a flat base. These design features correspond to pottery styles found in Egypt and the Middle East during the Early Bronze Age. The estimated period overlaps with the era of construction of Egypt’s Great Pyramid.
Archaeologists also recovered three large stone anchors. The vessels and other artefacts lie scattered on an underwater slope about 30 metres deep. Some pots retain a viscous residue that researchers are analysing; possible contents include olive oil, wine or tree resins.
Vessel and maritime trade
The vessel is believed to have been a cargo ship about 10 metres long, engaged in trade across the Mediterranean Sea. Its wooden remains have not survived, and the cargo and associated objects provide the principal archaeological evidence reported from the site. Professor Hakan Öniz of Akdeniz University led the Mediterranean Archaeology Association expedition. Archaeologist Dr Karin Sowada of Macquarie University examined the recovered vessels.
Kekova and shipwreck archaeology
Kekova Island lies off the coast of Antalya in southern Turkey. The surrounding waters have strong currents and winds, conditions associated with maritime hazards in the area. The earlier record-holder cited by archaeologists was a 4,200-year-old shipwreck near Dokos Island, in Greece. Shipwreck dating can draw on artefact styles when a vessel’s timber is absent or cannot be used for direct analysis.
Important Facts for Exams
- The Early Bronze Age is a prehistoric period associated with the development and wider use of bronze tools.
- An amphora is a two-handled ceramic vessel used in antiquity to store or transport goods.
- Kekova Island is in Antalya province on Turkey’s Mediterranean coast.
- The Great Pyramid of Giza is in Egypt and was built during the Old Kingdom period.
The Kekova wreck’s age is an estimate based on ceramic typology, and analysis of residue from some vessels is ongoing.
