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Turkish team finds world’s oldest shipwreck near Kekova

By Drooid · Oct 14, 2026, 6:07 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Turkish archaeologists led by Prof. Hakan Öniz discovered the world’s oldest shipwreck.
The vessel dates to 4,400–4,700 years ago, predating the Dokos shipwreck and becoming the earliest known Mediterranean shipwreck.
Divers located the wreck 30 m deep near Kekova Island.
Divers uncovered ceramic amphorae and stone anchors.
One amphora with nine markings and two holes may have churned cheese or butter, indicating dairy.

History

Historical Context

In 1975 Peter Throckmorton uncovered the Early Helladic Dokos shipwreck off Greece, dated to about 2,250 BC and yielding over 500 pottery sherds. Turkish archaeologists led by Prof. Hakan Öniz have now reported a 4,500-year-old wreck near Kekova Island, pushing the earliest known Mediterranean vessel back by two millennia and prompting the Hellenic and Turkish ministries of culture to revise Bronze-Age trade models.

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Story summary

Turkish archaeologists led by Prof. Hakan Öniz discovered the world’s oldest shipwreck.
The vessel dates to 4,400–4,700 years ago, predating the Dokos shipwreck and becoming the earliest known Mediterranean shipwreck.
Divers located the wreck 30 m deep near Kekova Island.
Divers uncovered ceramic amphorae and stone anchors.
One amphora with nine markings and two holes may have churned cheese or butter, indicating dairy.

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