Uluburun Shipwreck

A Bronze Age shipwreck found off of the coast of southern Turkey. Excavated in 1984 by project directors Cemal Pulak and George F. Bass, the ship sank sometime during the 14th century BCE. First found by a diver searching for sponges in June of 1982, this wreck is the oldest ever found. It was on a steep slope at a depth of approximately 140 feet, with objects scattered deeper. The discovery of the ship was very useful in determining the trade routes of the Mediterranean during the Bronze Age. The site excavation yielded one of the largest collections of Bronze Age artifacts in the world with nearly 12 tons of cargo. Numerous types of objects were collected.

Raw Materials:

• Lumber: Cedar and Ebony logs.
• Glass Ingots: The earliest known in a disc shape. Cobalt and copper were used as coloring agents.
• Ostrich Eggshells: One survived intact. Found with a large hole cut into it to drain contents. Thought to be used as a container of some type.
• Cypriot Copper Ingots: Cut into large rectangular slabs with longer handles on the corners for carrying.

Finished Goods:

• Ceramics: Nine large storage jars, drinking cups, bronze and copper cauldrons and bowls.
• Jewelry: Canaanite bracelets and gold pendants. Also found was a lot of scrap gold and silver among some Egyptian electrum, gold, and silver pieces. Hundreds of beads were found of glass, agate, carnelian, quartz, amber and other materials.
• Tools: Bronze axes, chisels, drills and awls accompanied bronze daggars, swords and arrowheads. Fishhooks, harpoons and nets were also recovered.

The origins of the ship are difficult to determine. The cargo on board is good evidence of the range it travelled. The pottery design is Canaanite, a culture that existed along the Eastern Mediterranean coast. The amber found on board was identified as Baltic amber from northern Europe. The ivory discovered probably came from the Palestinian coast. There is also remnants of various crew members of Canaanite, Cypriot, and Mycenaean origin.