Our researchers in Archaeology Ocean and Earth Science have made global headlines after discovering the world’s oldest intact shipwreck in the depths of the Black Sea.
Under the leadership of Southampton Professor Jon Adams, the Black Sea Maritime Archaeology Project (Black Sea MAP) involves some of the world’s pre-eminent marine archaeologists and maritime scientists from the UK, Bulgaria, Sweden, the USA and Greece.
Following three years of highly-advanced technological mapping of the Black Sea floor, the team confirmed that a shipwreck lying intact some 2km below the surface (where the water is oxygen-free) can be radiocarbon dated back to 400BC. The researchers were able to survey over 2000 sqkm of the Black Sea floor using technology typically reserved exclusively to oil, gas and renewable energy companies.
“A ship, surviving intact, from the Classical world, lying in over 2km of water, is something I would never have believed possible,” said Professor Adams. “This will change our understanding of shipbuilding and seafaring in the ancient world.”
During the life of the project over 60 shipwrecks, varying in age from a 17th century Cossack raiding fleet, through Roman trading vessels complete with amphorae to a complete ship from the Classical period, were found.
In 2015, the Black Sea MAP set out to investigate the changes in the ancient environment of the region off the coast of Bulgaria, including the impact of sea-level change following the last glacial cycle. The project was conceived by Hans K Rausing who established the Expedition and Education Foundation to commission the project. The Foundation’s work is funded by The Julia and Hans Rausing Trust, a charitable fund.
Read the full story here.
