Research team discovers ancient shipwreck
SET SAIL. Trade was a fundamental aspect of the ancient Greek world; goods with different origins could be bought, sold, and exchanged from one part of the Mediterranean to another. The ships used for such trade, like the one recently discovered, usually had very short lifetimes as the wood used didn’t survive well in the harsh waters. “It’s when the [remote operated vehicle] drops down through the water column and you see this ship appear in the light at the bottom so perfectly preserved it feels like you step back in time,” said Helen Farr, marine archeologist currently researching the recently discovered Greek craft.
On Oct. 23, history was made when an oceanic research team found a ship over two thousand four hundred years old off the Bulgarian coast. Researchers say the ship closely resembles some sort of Greek ship used for trade; this ship was also commonly painted on ancient Greek wine vases.
The ship itself was found 1.2 miles under the sea and is being acknowledged as the oldest known ship to still be intact.
Due to the high concentration of salt in the Black Sea where the ship was found, the water essentially contains no oxygen, which in turn has kept the ship in good condition with no deterioration.
The explore team used two underwater robots to map out a 3-D image of the ship and took a sample of the remains in order to estimate the age of the vessel.
The same explore team has found 67 other antique ships in the past three years. They range from about 800 B.C.E to the 17th century.
“The fact that they found a Greek ship with such age can tell us a lot of information about the daily life, shipping industry, culture
Any type of new artifact is always going to tell us new information we didn’t know before and that information in most cases can unlock a much larger spectrum of knowledge,” said Ashley Gleim, history teacher at SHS.
Researchers lack the current funds to investigate the insides the ship which could lead to further knowledge of the ship and its past.
“I think it’s a very interesting subject that reveals a lot about the previously known or unknown culture of the Greek. If proper funds are given to the team, I also believe we can access a much wider range of knowledge,” said Carissa Lumby, 9.
