A 23-metre long vessel, has been discovered by a team of maritime archaeologists, scientists and marine surveyors, which has been on a three-year mission to explore the depths of the Black Sea.
The shipwreck that was found intact with the mast, rudders and rowing benches is thought to be an ancient Greek trading vessel as according to researchers, it is identical to the ship seen “on the side of ancient Greek pottery such as the ‘Siren Vase’ in the British Museum” and is estimated to have been at the bottom of the Black Sea for more than 2,400 years.
The researchers took a small piece of the vessel to have it carbon dated by the University of Southampton who confirmed the ship is the oldest intact shipwreck known to mankind.
“A ship surviving intact from the classical world, lying in over 2km of water, is something I would never have believed possible,” said Professor Jon Adams, the principal investigator with the Black Sea Maritime Archaeology Project (MAP).
The ship similar to the one on the famous vase depicting Odysseus tied on the mast while resisting the sirens “will change our understanding of shipbuilding and seafaring in the ancient world”.
All the data from more than 60 shipwrecks found by the international team will be published at the Black Sea MAP conference at the Wellcome Collection in London later this week where experts will try to better comprehend and analyse the impact of prehistoric sea-level changes.