The largest ancient ship graveyard in the world discovered

For over 1,200 years, the city of Thonis-Heraklion, the once bustling hub of all Greek trade to the Mediterranean and Egypt, remained lost. However, the city is now revealing its secrets, with more than 70 ancient vessels surfacing, according to the findings of Greece’s Institute of Underwater Archaeological Research.

The sheer number of ancient vessels unearthed has led the archaeological community to declare the site as the largest ancient ship graveyard ever discovered.

The University of Oxford Centre for Maritime Archaeology (OCMA) has published a study on one of these ships, the renowned “Ship 17”, first documented by the Greek historian Herodotus.

Herodotus first noted its existence during one of his voyages to Egypt in 450 BC. His accounts, along with the recent findings, form the basis of the new university study. The ship, measuring 27-28 meters in length, was constructed following the maritime traditions of not only Egypt but also the broader Mediterranean region during that time.

Remarkably, most of the discovered ships remain well-preserved, nestled in the seabed mud. The site also yielded some 700 ancient anchors of various types, representing the largest such collection from the ancient world.

Source: www.ox.ac.uk