Loaded Full of Jars... Shipwrecked During Maritime Trade
"Ancient People Had the Ability to Cross the Mediterranean"
A shipwreck dating back over 3,000 years has been discovered on the Mediterranean seabed. This is the first shipwreck found in the deep eastern Mediterranean and the oldest shipwreck discovered there.
On the 21st (local time), the US CNN reported that a shipwreck estimated to have been built in the 13th to 14th century BCE was found on the Mediterranean seabed.
According to the report, the Israel Antiquities Authority stated in a press release that they confirmed the presence of a shipwreck at a depth of 1.8 km underwater, 90 km off the coast. The shipwreck was discovered during an underwater environmental survey conducted by the British natural gas company Energean.
Yaakov Shavit, head of the Marine Archaeology Department at the Israel Antiquities Authority, explained that the ship may have been wrecked due to a storm or pirates.
The 3,300-year-old shipwreck carried hundreds of jars. The jars found on board are believed to be commercial containers that held oil, wine, fruit, and other goods.
Shavit said, “These jars indicate that maritime trade was conducted across the sea at that time,” adding, “It changes our understanding of ancient world navigation.” It shows that ancient people had the ability to navigate across the Mediterranean Sea, even when the coastline was not visible and only the horizon could be seen.
Meanwhile, the most famous shipwreck in the world today is the Spanish treasure ship San Jose, which belonged to the fleet of King Felipe V of Spain (1683?1746). This galleon, found in the Caribbean Sea, was the largest ship of its time.
The San Jose is believed to have been loaded with precious items such as gold, silver, and emeralds brought from mines in the Spanish colony of Peru. The treasure’s value is estimated to be around $20 billion (approximately 27.27 trillion KRW) in today’s terms.
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