Discovery That Will Change History ... There were only 5 examples in the world, more than 100 examples found in Antalya.

Head of Akdeniz University Cultural Heritage Preservation and Repair Department Assoc. Dr. Hakan Öniz stated that the shipwreck on the shore of Antalya dates back to 200 years before the oldest known shipwreck in the world. He said, "It has been confirmed by scientific studies that it is the oldest commercial cargo-bearing wreck in the world."

Under the coordination of Öniz, under the presidency of Antalya Museum Directorate, with the participation of foreign scientists, a copper-laden vessel that was reported to belong to the Bronze Age was detected on the western coast of the city.

The scientific article of the shipwreck was published with evidence, and then it was announced to the public by Governor Münir Karaloğlu.

A team of 30 people, including experts from the International Institute of Underwater Archeology, Texas A&M University and Oxford University, led by Akdeniz University, carried out archaeological excavation in the wreck with two ships.

Under the supervision of underwater physicians, Dr. Hakan Öniz and a team inclıding world famous Prof. Dr. Cemal Pulak, worked on the shipwreck.

The works, which were removed from a depth of about 50 meters, were taken to the Antalya Protection and Repair Laboratory in the Antalya Museum. The works in the wreck, which also excites foreign scientists, will be exhibited in the underwater archaeological museum, which is planned to be established in Kemer district.

'' Excavations to the Shipwrecks Will Take Several Years ''

Assoc. Dr. Öniz told AA reporter that with the permission of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, they worked in the area where the cargoes of the wreck they detected during the archaeological underwater surveys in the Western Mediterranean region.

Stating that they reached the works by opening the top of the field and doing excavation work, Öniz said: "There are copper ingots extracted from the mines in Cyprus in the 16th or 15th century BC. These copper ingots are the earliest examples of the world called pillow form. There are as many cylindrical ingot, a ship carrying copper ingots, we reached different materials, 3600 years of spear remains, various similar artifacts, etc. There were five examples of these ingots in the world, one of them in the New York Metropolitan Museum and four in the Athens Archeology Museum. Of these five known nuggets, we detected more than 100 of our shipwrecks on the shores of Antalya. Excavations in the shipwreck will take several years. "

Stating that the shipwreck also attracted the attention of foreign scientists and that it was an invention that would shape the world's archeology history, Öniz pointed out that the oldest shipwreck in the world was located on Gelidonya Cape 50 years ago in Antalya and was dated to 1200 BC.

Reminding that there was Uluburun Shipwreck in the Kaş region as the oldest shipwreck in the world about 30 years ago, Öniz said, "Antalya, Kumluca and Kaş districts are hosting the oldest shipwrecks in the world, but this shipwreck we found is 200 years from the oldest known shipwreck in the world. It has been confirmed by the studies that it is the oldest shipwreck in the world carrying commercial cargo. " said.

Source: AA