2,500-Year-Old Greek Ship Raised

Archaeologists raise an ancient Greek ship off the coast of southern Sicily. It is the biggest and best maintained vessel of its kind ever found.

Classical shipwreck found off Cyprus

Marine Archaeolgists from the University of Cyprus' Archaeology Research Unit are currently working on the site of a classical shipwreck off the south coast of Cyprus. The ship rests under 45 meters of water some 2 1/2 kilometers from shore. It was carrying a large number of amphorae from Chios when it sunk, over 2300 years ago.

Circumnavigation of Africa

An English sailor, Philip Beale, 47, has commissioned the building of a replica Phoenician ship that he plans to sail around Africa with a crew of 20 to prove that Phoenician seafarers did just that over 2500 years ago long before any European. The voyage is scheduled for August and will take around 10 months.

2300 year-old merchant ship found off Cyprus

An interesting new find!
A classical merchantman carrying wine from Chios wrecked off Cyprus around the middle of the fourth century B.C. is soon to be excavated by the University of Cyprus' Archaeology Research Unit.

Roman wreck discovered off Spain

A 1st century B.C Roman wreck in excellent condition has been dredged up from the bay of Cartagena, southeast Spain.

Update on Ballard's surveys

Latest news on Ballard's search for ancient Greek wrecks in the Black Sea.

Oldest Ancient Wooden Anchor

What is probably the oldest example of an ancient wooden anchor dating to around the 7th century BC has been found by archaeologist in the port city of Urla (ancient Liman Tepe) in Turkey. The port served the ancient Greek settlement of Klazomenai but was destroyed in the 6th century BC, by an earthquake most likely. The anchor seems to have a metal-covered crown and is clearly an interesting and important find for maritime and nautical archaeology.

Searching for Ancient Shipwrecks in the Aegean

Results of deep-water surveys conducted by the Greek Ephorate of Underwater Antiquites and the Institue of Oceanography in Greek waters around Chios and Kythnos which led to the discovery of several ancient shipwrecks, and notably two hellenistics wrecks of particular interest, is about to be published in The International Journal of Nautical Archaeology. Apparently, the Chios wreck was located at a depth of 70 m and the Kythnos wreck was located at a depth of around 495 metres. This survey employed side-scan sonar as well sub-bottom profiling, making the survey more effective and producing interesting results. You can read the detailed report online for free (for a limited period) on the Blackwell Publishing website.

Replicas of ancient Foca people to set sail

The 360 Degree Research Group who built the replica of the Bronze Age Uluburun ship are to sail from Foca to Marseille using two replicas of ancient ships in an attempt to retrace the route taking by Foca settlers over 2,600 years ago. This is a great event to be followed.
Click on title for full article from Turkish Daily News.

Good News for Greece

The United Nations assembly in New York has approved a draft resolution that antiquities be returned to their country of origin. The resolution was put forward by Greece Minister of Culture Giorgos Voulgarakis who said “The illegal trade of antiquities is in the same category as the illegal trade of weapons, narcotics and people. It amounts to a form of organized crime that is directly related to mobsters and money laundering.” This can be seen as a success in Greece's attempt to recover artifacts such as the Parthenon Marbles kept at the British Museum which were stolen by the Earl Of Elgin, Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire (1799-1803).

Dull is the eye that will not weep to see
Thy walls defaced, thy mouldering shrines removed
By British hands, which it had best behoved
To guard those relics ne'er to be restored.
Curst be the hour when from their isle they roved,
And once again thy hapless bosom gored,
And snatch'd thy shrinking gods to northern climes abhorred!

Lord Byron, "Childe Harold"