<![CDATA[The Port of Urla is believed to house one of the rarest underwater excavation sites in the world. It is home to a sunken ship that dates back almost 4000 years. It is believed to be one of the oldest ships in the Mediterranean. The excavations were led by ANKUSAM, the Ankara University Research Centre for Maritime Archaeology. Reports suggest that the ship dates back to the Ottoman Empire in the second century B.C. This means that the site in question could be home to the oldest sunken ship ever discovered. Urla has always been home to some of the most fascinating excavation sites in Turkey. According to Professor Hayat Erkanal, director of ANKUSAM and the head of the Lomantepe excavation, the port itself dates to the seventh century B.C. Prof. Erkanal states that Klozemenai, where the port is situated, used to be a coastal town. This makes the area home to a number of sunken ships from different generations and eras. The city disappeared from the face of the earth after an earthquake in the 8th century sent it into the sea. The archaeological team at the site is currently working to determine the age and uses of the artefacts that have been found in the shipwreck. Apart from this ship in Urla, there are two other sunken ships that are competing for the honour of being the oldest sailing vessel yet discovered. One of them is the Uluburun shipwreck located on the coast of Kas in south west Turkey. The second one is Hatshepsut, a ship that belonged to the Egyptian Pharaoh's eighteenth dynasty. Both of these ships date back almost 3500 years. If experts can date the recently excavated ship and actually prove that it is 4000 years old, it will symbolise an important milestone in the world of archaeology. According to Prof. Erkanal, the uncovered materials must first be cleaned of salt in order to prevent decay. This needs to be followed by a process of restoration and re-construction. The materials have been taken to a laboratory at the Mustafa Vehbi Koc Maritime Archaeology Research Center and Archaeopark, to begin work on them. Prof. Erkanal also believes that the entire process of removing the sunken ship from the waters could take up to 7 - 8 years. Prof. Erkanal's team is also trying to construct a sea map of the region in order to transform it into an experimental archaeology centre. The team shall focus on removing and displaying this ancient Ottoman ship over the next year. If things go according to plan, the Mediterranean region should finally have something to show for its ancient sea forces that once ruled the world. ]]>
4000 Year Old Sunken Ship Might be the World's Oldest
