THE oldest ever intact shipwreck dating back 2,400 years has been discovered at the bottom of the Black Sea. The ancient Greek trading ship was found whole, bow to stern, with even its mast, rudders and rowing benches almost perfectly preserved. 9 The World's oldest intact shipwreck has been discovered at the bottom of the Black Sea The ship looks almost identical to a vessel shown on a vase in the British Museum depicting Greek hero Odysseus' voyage home from the Trojan war. Scientists at the Black Sea Maritime Archaeology Project determined the 75 foot vessel was consigned to Davy Jones’ Locker more than 2,400 years ago. It was found in what has been described as a “shipwreck graveyard” where over 60 other sunken ships have been discovered. The ship was found in 2017 by a remote controlled submarine piloted by Brit scientists but has just been confirmed as the “oldest intact shipwreck”. It has the design of an Ancient Greek trading vessel design previously only seen on the side of ancient Greek pottery such as the “Siren Vase” in the British Museum. 9 Professor Jon Adams, who headed up the investigation, is seen here holding a 3D printed replica of a piece of the boat Credit: PA:Press Association 9 The wreck lies more than 1.3 miles below the surface around 50 miles off the coast of Bulgaria 9 The archaeologists have said the ship bares a startling resemblance to as vessel painted on the 'Siren Vase' held in the British Museum Credit: Getty - Contributor The ship is over 1.3 miles deep on the bed of the Black Sea where the water is oxygen free, around 50 miles off the coast of Bulgaria. This “anoxic” water can preserve organic material for millennia and a small piece of the vessel has been carbon dated to 400BC. It revealed the accuracy of the painter of the Siren Vase who painted an almost identical vessel onto the pottery. Jon Adams, professor of archaeology at the University of Southampton and chief scientist of the team that found the wreck, told The Times: “Nobody has ever known how accurate the representation on the Siren Vase was and whether the artist was making it up or drawing what he saw. 9 A diver is seen clutching a camera as he floats in the water above the wreck Credit: Black Sea Maps/EEF Expeditions 9 The mast can be seen protruding from the seabed as divers excavate the ship Credit: Black Sea Maps/ EEF Expeditions 9 The Black Sea Maritime Archaeology project have worked tireless in the region to locate ancient sunken vessels Credit: Black Sea Maps /EEF Expeditions 9 A team lead by British scientists located the vessel last year but have only just confirmed its age as more than 2,400 years-old “Now we see archaeological evidence showing a ship very close in detail, even down to the shape of the rudder blade. “The artist must have been familiar with ships.” Prior to this discovery ancient ships had only been found in fragments with the oldest more than 3,000 years old. 9 The team from the Black Sea Maritime Archaeological Project said the find also revealed how far from the shore ancient Greek traders could travel. Archaeologist believes it probably held 15-25 men at the time whose remains may be hidden in the surrounding sediment or eaten by bacteria. He said he plans to leave the ship on the seabed because raising it would be hugely expensive and require taking some of the joints apart. MOST READ IN WORLD NEWS Exclusive OUT OF THIS WORLD Negative from film said to depict Roswell alien autopsy on sale for £710k BETRAYAL OF TRUST Woman, 22, 'lured off street by paramedic and gang raped in ambulance' Latest FERRY DISASTER More than 150 feared dead after overloaded ferry 'breaks in two' and sinks CLINGING TO LIFE Hotel owner left critical after catching deadly from Aussie mouse plague CRYPTO KILLER Bondage-obsessed Bitcoin trader ‘went crazy’ & strangled lover to death SLIPPERY CHARACTER Massive deadly snake lurks in Aussie back garden... can YOU spot it? LIVES DESTROYED 3 women die and pal loses baby in crash while celebrating end of lockdown WHAT WAS THAT? Mystery as anchor-shaped UFO leaves trail of smoke before crashing into sea DANGER MICE Aussie mouse army ‘marches on Sydney’ & gnaws horrified people in their beds Latest LITTLE SURVIVOR Final pic of boy on cable car as he wakes from coma to find parents dead The ship, which was powered by both sails and oars was mainly used for trade but could have occasionally played a role in battle, raiding coastal cities. The find is one of 67 wrecks found in the area. Previous finds were discovered dating back as far as 2,500 years, including galleys from the Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman empires. GREEK MYTHOLOGY How the discovery gives us a glimpse into the myths and legends of Ancient Greece THE ship looks almost identical to the ship depicted on the side of the so called ‘Siren Vase’ housed in the British Museum. The design on the ancient property depicts a scene from Homer’s Odyssey, one of the oldest and most famous stories in history. It details the tale of Odysseus and his ten year journey back from fighting in the Trojan War. On the epic voyage he encounters numerous mythological figures including a Cyclops, gods and goddesses and even a visit to the underworld. But one of the most famous scenes, as depicted on the vase, involves the eponymous hero ordering his crew to lash him to lash him to the mast and block his ears to resist the “Siren’s call” Sirens were dangerous creatures who would lure sailors to shipwreck on the rock coasts with their enchanting songs. They were said to be a combination of women and birds.<doc-sep>Archaeologists believe they have found the world's oldest intact shipwreck. Discovered at the bottom of the Black Sea, the 75-foot-long vessel has been lying in wait for more than 2,400 years. "It's something I would never have believed possible." Assumed to be a Greek trading vessel, the ship was so well preserved because it was buried deep in the Black Sea in anoxic (oxygen-deprived) water. Without oxygen corroding the wooden hull, the ship has remained more or less the same since it sank around 400 BCE. Researchers are stunned that its rowing benches, rudders, and mast are all intact. “A ship, surviving intact, from the Classical world, lying in over 2km of water, is something I would never have believed possible,” said University of Southampton Professor Jon Adams, the Black Sea Maritime Archaeology Project’s principal investigator, in a press statement. “This will change our understanding of shipbuilding and seafaring in the ancient world.” This content is imported from {embed-name}. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. The ship's design tipped off researchers to its ancient origin. The build is one only previously seen in Greek pottery like the famed "Siren's Vase," currently located in the British Museum. Carbon dating has confirmed the ship's age. The Black Sea MAP project has found more than 60 shipwrecks in the region, ranging from 17th century Cossack raiders to Roman trading ships. Currently in its fourth year, the project greatly added to the depth and understanding of ancient maritime life. Organizers plan to screen a two-hour documentary about this latest find at the British Museum. Source: Southampton This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io<doc-sep>The ancient Greek merchant ship was found at the the bottom of the Black Sea near Bulgaria. Image : Black Sea Maritime Archaeology Project A remarkably intact ancient Greek merchant ship from 2,400 years ago has been found at the bottom of the Black Sea. Advertisement The sunken vessel was discovered by the Black Sea Maritime Archaeology Project at a depth of 2,000 meters (6,500 feet) near the Bulgarian coast, th e BBC r eports. At this depth, the waters in the Black Sea are anoxic, containing virtually no oxygen. This prevents organic material from degrading, hence the nearly pristine condition of the ship. Measuring 23 meters (75 feet) in length, the Greek merchant ship is lying on its side. Its mast, rowing benches, and rudders are still intact. Incredibly, coils of rope can still be seen in the stern section. According to AFP, t he Black Sea MAP researchers claim it’s the “ oldest intact shipwreck known to mankind .” “A ship, surviving intact, from the Classical world, lying in over two kilometres of water, is something I would never have believed possible,” said Jon Adams from the University of Southampton, the project’s main investigator, AFP reports . “This will change our understanding of shipbuilding and seafaring in the ancient world.” The researchers explored the wreck using a pair of remotely operated vehicles (ROVs). According to AFP, a sample of the ship was brought to the surface and carbon dated to 400 BC. T he team also compiled a 3D image of the ancient ship with the ROVs , the BBC reports . The vessel is reminiscent of the ship depicted on the Siren Vase, which is kept at the British Museum. Interestingly, the sunken vessel dates back to the same time period as the vase, which is believed to have been painted around 480 BC. This Greek merchant ship is likely one of many that ventured back and forth along the Mediterranean, the Sea of Marmara, and the Black Sea. Advertisement The Siren Vase, featuring a ship similar to the one found at the bottom of the Black Sea. Image : The British Museum The Black Sea MAP researchers haven’t had an opportunity to explore the ship’s contents, which could contain some precious and archaeologically significant cargo. Should the team secure additional funding, it would like to return to the site and conduct further investigations. In addition to exploring the ship’s interior— which they would have to do using ROVs, as it’s way too deep for human divers— the researchers are hoping to learn more about Greek m aritime technology, trade, and movements in the area. The project is being funded by the Julia and Hans Rausing Trust, and is reported to have cost £15 million ($19.5 million USD ) to date. Advertisement The discovery of the intact Greek ship is the icing on the cake for the Black Sea MAP, which has been exploring the Black Sea for the past three years. To date, the team has uncovered 67 wrecks, including Roman trading ships and a 17th Century Cossack trading fleet. [BBC, AFP, Sky News]<doc-sep>Lost ancient treasures of gold, oil, wine and metalwork may be hidden in the world’s oldest complete shipwreck which was discovered in the Black Sea by marine archaeologists. An international team of researchers including experts from the University of Southampton found the intact skeleton of the Greek trading vessel which was carbon dated to 400BC and which still has an upright mast and rowing benches. Although earlier wrecks have been found the ship has remained completely intact after being buried in the silty oxygen-free sediment of of the seabed for more than 2,400 years. Usually with shipwrecks the cargo is lost when the ship breaks up, floating away on currents or ending up scattered around the stricken vessel. But archaeologists believe the the goods may still be trapped in the hold and are hoping to raise funding to return to site to hunt for sunken treasure. The ship was a trading vessel so could contain grain, gold, wine, oil or priceless metalwork. "Normally we find amphorae (wine vases) and can guess where it's come from, but with this it's still in the hold," said Dr Helen Farr, a marine archaeologist from the University of Southampton. “It’s absolutely incredible. It’s to do with the preservation, we have bits of shipwreck that are earlier but this is intact, it’s lying on its side it’s got its mast, its rudders, it’s just not something you see everyday.<doc-sep>
A team of archaeologists has discovered what's thought to be the oldest intact shipwreck ever found, some 2,000 metres (1.2 miles) under the waters of the Black Sea. The amazingly preserved wreck is estimated to be around 2,400 years old. Some 23 metres (75 feet) long, the sunken ship looks to be ancient Greek in origin, and was probably a merchant ship, although we don't have knowledge of its contents just yet. The ship is lying on its side, with the mast, the ship's rudder, and the rowing benches used by the crew all still in place, according to the researchers. Even the bones of fish eaten by the sailors on board have been spotted. (Black Sea Maritime Archaeology Project/EEF Expeditions) A small piece of the shipwreck was taken by remotely operated diving robots for carbon dating, giving the team its age estimate. "A ship, surviving intact, from the Classical world, lying in over two kilometres of water, is something I would never have believed possible," the project's main investigator, Jon Adams from the University of Southampton in the UK, said in a statement. "This will change our understanding of shipbuilding and seafaring in the ancient world." There are two reasons the ship has been found in such good shape: firstly, it sunk into anoxic waters – with depleted levels of the oxygen that would otherwise have caused the wreck to deteriorate over the years. Secondly, it's really deep down, beyond the reach of divers and scavengers. "It's preserved, it's safe," one of the team, Helen Farr from the Southampton Marine and Maritime Institute, told the BBC. "It's not deteriorating and it's unlikely to attract hunters." If you think the design looks familiar, you might have seen a similar vessel depicted on ancient Greek pottery – pottery like the Siren Vase in the British Museum, which shows a scene from Homer's Odyssey. It's certainly right up there with the most fascinating shipwreck discoveries of recent times, including finds in the Caribbean Sea and off the coast of Australia. The find is part of a larger scale operation called the Black Sea Maritime Archaeology Project (MAP), which has so far identified more than 60 sunken vessels in the Black Sea over the course of three years. As well as making discoveries like this, the research is also looking at ancient changes in the sea levels of the region. Part of the work has included analysing the underwater remains of an early Bronze Age settlement near Ropotamo in Bulgaria. Advanced underwater camera systems, similar to those used for offshore oil and gas exploration projects, are deployed to scan the sea bed and any wrecks on it. None are as old, as well preserved, or as intriguing as this latest find though. Now the team is looking for extra funding to be able to go back to the site of the shipwreck and take a careful look at what's hidden in the hold. "Normally we find amphorae [wine vases] and can guess where it's come from, but with this it's still in the hold," Farr told the BBC. "As archaeologists we're interested in what it can tell us about technology, trade and movements in the area." The researchers have made a documentary about their work, and are presenting their findings so far at a conference at the Wellcome Collection in the UK.