Sank 3300 years ago

Wreck with intact amphorae discovered off Israel

Hundreds of intact amphorae have been discovered on the seabed off the coast of Israel (two recovered specimens pictured).

(Bild: Israel Antiquities Authority/Emil Aladjem)

Hundreds of intact amphorae have been discovered on the seabed off the coast of Israel at a depth of 1.8 kilometers. The approximately 3300 to 3400 year old storage vessels were on board a shipwreck, according to the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA).

The IAA spoke of a "groundbreaking discovery" on Thursday. Two of the amphorae were recently recovered. According to the authority, they date back to the late Bronze Age and belonged to the Canaanites, also known as Canaanites.

They lived before the Israelites in the area that corresponds to modern-day Israel and Lebanon as well as parts of Jordan and Syria. The jars were used to store oil, wine and fruit, among other things.

Hundreds of intact amphorae have been discovered on the seabed off the coast of Israel (two recovered specimens in the picture).

(Bild: Israel Antiquities Authority/Emil Aladjem)

According to Jacob Sharvit, Director of the Department of Marine Archaeology at the IAA, the large quantity of amphorae on board a single ship is evidence of the important trade relations with the ancient Near Eastern countries on the Mediterranean coast.

Sunk 90 kilometersfrom the shore
Never before has a ship from this period been found in the deep sea, according to a statement from the Israel Antiquities Authority. It sank around 90 kilometers from the shore - possibly due to a storm or a pirate attack. Only two shipwrecks with cargo from the late Bronze Age have been discovered so far. According to the information, both are located off the Turkish coast - but close to the shore.

According to the authority, the discovery is also proof that - contrary to previous assumptions - sailors were already crossing the sea at that time without being able to see the coast. "This discovery reveals the navigational skills of ancient seafarers like never before," said Sharvit. He estimates that they used the sun and other stars to navigate.

With the help of a diving robot (center), a collection of amphorae was discovered at a depth of 1.8 kilometers.

(Bild: Israel Antiquities Authority/Emil Aladjem)

Discovered with a diving robot at a depth of 1.8 km
The British-Greek company Energean carried out a standard investigation of the seabed with a diving robot around a year ago and discovered an accumulation of jars at a depth of 1.8 kilometers, according to the Antiquities Authority. Energean extracts gas from the Karish field off the coast of Israel, among other places.

Employees of the company and the Antiquities Authority finally examined the site with the help of a ship equipped for deep-sea work and determined that it must have been the cargo of a sunken ship around twelve to 14 meters long. Many of the artifacts and possibly also wooden beams from the shipwreck were covered by the muddy bottom.

(Bild: AFP/Israeli Antiquities Authority)

Amphorae recovered with special equipment
According to the Israeli daily newspaper Haaretz, the two amphorae were recovered around two weeks ago after months of planning and the development of special equipment. According to the Antiquities Authority, they are to be put on display this summer.

The authority did not say whether the rest of the cargo and possible remains of the ship will also be salvaged. According to Haaretz, the ship's beams, which were above the ground, have disappeared.