Just off Uluburun, which is a short 8.5 kilometer journey from the Southeast of Kas, and only 60 meters from shore, a diver looking for sponges discovered an early Bronze Age shipwreck in 1982. Dendrochronological studies made on the cedar planks the ship was constructed from have revealed that this wreck probably occurred sometime around 1300 BCE. Due to depth, the wreck is only suitable for experienced divers; giving those with less experience just one more reason to become more skilled.
A Fascinating Archaeological Find
The Uluburun Wreck is a small ship, only about 15 meters long and 5 meters wide; yet, it is estimated that she was carrying an astonishing 20 tons of cargo. The ship's stern lies beneath 44 meters of water, while her bow is at a depth of 52 meters. Her cargo has spilled out and lies at a depth of 61 meters. Much of the cargo has been salvaged and can be seen at the Bodrum Museum of Underwater Archaeology.
In all, the cargo of the ship included 10 tons of copper ingots and a ton of tin. In addition, archaeologists found 150 clay pots, several ostrich eggs, bronze tools, and Egyptian artifacts including a seal which belonged to Nefertiti. There were several small statues onboard, as well as raw glass ingots in colors like cobalt blue, lavender, and turquoise. These ingots are believed to have originated from the Syrian and Palestinian coasts and are the oldest intact glass ingots to have been discovered to date. Other raw materials found on the rack included ivory, turtle shells, hippopotamus teeth, and precious wood from Cedar trees and Abanoz trees.
A golden chalice, beads made of amber, glass, gold and agate were also discovered, along with ceramics and several types of jewelry, including silver bracelets, gold pendants, and ankle bracelets. Weapons, including swords from Italy and Kenan were found, and so were weights for fishing nets and massive stone acres that weighed more than three tons. In addition, several types of foodstuffs were found; these included olives, grapes, figs, and almonds, and a number of musical instruments were discovered in the wreckage as well.
The Uluburun wreck is not to have originated from the Middle East, but probably from Cyprus or Kenan. It was constructed in the same style used by Greek and Roman shipbuilders one thousand years later.
A model of the Uluburun ship has been produced by the research group 360 degrees and they sailed with it living in the conditions of that era.
Even divers without enough experience to make the deep dive to the wreck and see the remainder of the cargo can get a look at the ship, since there is an exact replica at the Museum of Underwater Archaeology in Bodrum. Researchers built the ship using ancient techniques, after which they took it on a cruise and lived on board just as the crew of the Uluburun wreck must have. An incredible treasure ship, this is one worth visiting whether you make the dive or simply visit the museum.