Workers on Istanbul’s new metro system, the Marmoray project, have unearthed a more ancient form of transport.
They have discovered an intact wreck of a ship, complete with its cargo, believed to be from the fifth century.
Archaeologists say it is very rare to find such a shipwreck that old with its timber frame and load intact.
They say many of the pots and pans on board the ship are broken, but some will be joined back together and analysed to determine what they carried.
Many seeds such as olives, walnuts, apricots and almonds have been found almost perfectly preserved after 1600 years under water and silt.
So far 35 ships have been found in the sunken Byzantine port, leading experts to call it the most important marine archaeological site in the world.
Source: EuroNews [July 20, 2011]
They have discovered an intact wreck of a ship, complete with its cargo, believed to be from the fifth century.
Archaeologists say it is very rare to find such a shipwreck that old with its timber frame and load intact.
They say many of the pots and pans on board the ship are broken, but some will be joined back together and analysed to determine what they carried.
Many seeds such as olives, walnuts, apricots and almonds have been found almost perfectly preserved after 1600 years under water and silt.
So far 35 ships have been found in the sunken Byzantine port, leading experts to call it the most important marine archaeological site in the world.
Source: EuroNews [July 20, 2011]