60 Well Preserved Ancient Black Sea Shipwrecks Discovered [video]

An amazing discovery of 60 well preserved shipwrecks were found at the bottom of the Black Sea.

These vessels were discovered by the Black Sea Maritime Archaeology Project while performing underwater robotic geophysical surveys of the Black Sea. It is believed that these wrecks date back as far as 2500 years and consists of galleys from the Byzantine, Ottoan and Roman empires.

Because these discoveries occurred well out in the Black Sea, it is believed that they were trading vessels and not involved in wartime activities.

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What’s unique about this discovery is that these vessels are practically perfectly preserved. The lack of oxygen and light in the Black Sea at these depth results in very little sea life and contributes greatly to the preservation of the ships structures.

Read on for further details below:

The project, known Black Sea Maritime Archaeology Project (Black Sea MAP), involves an international team led by the University of Southampton’s Centre for Maritime Archaeology.

Ed Parker, CEO of Black Sea MAP, said: ‘Some of the ships we discovered had only been seen on murals and mosaics until this moment.

‘There’s one medieval trading vessel where the towers on the bow and stern are pretty much still there.

‘It’s as if you are looking at a ship in a movie, with ropes still on the deck and carvings in the wood.

‘When I saw that ship, the excitement really started to mount – what we have found is truly unrivalled.’

Most of the vessels found are around 1,300 years old, but the oldest dates back to the 4th Century BC.

Many of the wrecks’ details and locations are being kept secret by the team to ensure they remain undisturbed.

Black Sea water below 150 metres (490 ft) is anoxic, meaning the environment cannot support the organisms that typically feast on organic materials, such as wood and flesh.

Images Source: MailOnlneVideo.com
Cover Image Source: BlackSeaMap.com