A trading voyage from the age of the pyramids may have left the world’s oldest known shipwreck off Turkey’s coast.
Archaeologists working near Kekova report finding more than 30 ceramic jars around 30 metres below the Mediterranean. The pottery’s design suggests the cargo is 4,400–4,700 years old, according to The National.
The wooden ship has not survived. Researchers are reconstructing its story from the cargo and objects on the seabed.
Three stone anchors have also been found, but they have not been conclusively linked to the same vessel. That distinction matters when assessing the shipwreck claim.
It could be the oldest known wreck, but the claim remains under study. The age is an estimate based on pottery, while analysis of the jars may help reveal what they once carried. Wine, oil and resins are possibilities, not confirmed contents.
A journey lost for thousands of years is beginning to come back into view.
Lead photograph: Excavation video frame via Gulf News, published 14 October 2026. Photo source.
