World's Oldest Shipwreck Found in Türkiye: Was It Heading to Troy?

Amphorae dating back approximately 4,400 to 4,700 years, recovered from a shipwreck near Kekova Island off Antalya, shed light on ancient maritime trade in the Eastern Mediterranean and the daily lives of sailors. Researchers believe the vessel may have set sail from a port along the Levantine coast and headed toward Troy or Crete.

Under the direction of the Antalya Museum Directorate and the scientific supervision of Associate Professor Hakan Öniz, underwater excavations began in the area in 2026. Amphora samples taken from the shipwreck remains identified during underwater surveys conducted by Akdeniz University in previous years indicated that the vessel may date back to the Early Bronze Age.

WAS IT HEADING TO TROY?

Clay analyses of the amphorae recovered from the seabed indicate that the vessels were likely produced in workshops in the Jordan Valley. Similar amphorae, thought to have been used to transport olive oil or wine, have also been found near the pyramids of Giza, Saqqara and Abusir in Egypt, as well as at Troy and on Crete.

These finds bear traces of trade networks that connected different regions by sea. Researchers believe the vessel may have departed from a port along the Levantine coast and sailed toward Troy or Crete.

AN AMPHORA WITH 9 MARKINGS SHEDS LIGHT ON SAILORS' LIVES

One of the amphorae recovered from the wreck stands out for the nine distinct markings on its surface and two holes in its body. Studies suggest that the vessel may have been a churn amphora used to make cheese or butter.

This possibility raises the prospect that sailors carried goats aboard their ships on long voyages, milked them and produced their own dairy products. The finds therefore offer clues not only to trade relations of the period but also to sailors' diets and daily living conditions.

"WE ARE UNCOVERING THE TRACES OF THE WORLD'S OLDEST SHIPWRECK"

Türkiye's Minister of Culture and Tourism, Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, said the finds uncovered during underwater excavations near Kekova were important for shedding light on Anatolia's maritime history.

In a statement shared on social media, Ersoy emphasized that the amphorae, believed to have been used to transport olive oil or wine, bear traces of trade and cultural interaction in the Eastern Mediterranean.

"Clay analyses indicate that the amphorae were likely produced in workshops in the Jordan Valley. The discovery of similar examples in Egypt, Troy and Crete is of great importance for understanding the trade networks that connected different regions by sea," Ersoy said.

You can also read our article, "Found in a Shipwreck 2,100 Years Later: Cicero Had Ordered Them Too."

Found in a shipwreck 2,100 years later: Cicero had ordered them too