Archaeologists continue to be surprised by findings in eastern Mediterranean. Cyprus is situated in the area where early civilizations developed, so it is no wonder that the sea around is a treasure trove of antiques. Now they have found 22 ships, an astounding number to be found in one place. “Usually we find four or five ships every season, at best,” says George Koutsouflakis, leader of the expedition, for the Independent.
It is not only the large number of vessels that surprised the archaeologists it was also that ships were namely from very different eras, even though they were all found in the same place. The oldest ship was from 700-400 BC while the youngest was from the great explorer time, the 1500s. The majority of the ships were from late Roman times, the years 300-600 AD
It is in the island group Fourni that the findings made, a place in the middle of an ancient trade route between Greece, Cyprus and Egypt. It was a regular stop on the road between the two countries. The ships must have been merchant vessels, and from earlier findings we know that the goods they brought with them were olive oil, wine and fish sauce, typical of the Mediterranean. The location of the finds were famous for its storms and it is believed that the ancient sailors tried to take shelter at the nearby cliffs, but the strong winds likely struck the ships against the hard rocks which caused them to sink.
They have just begun to examine the ships and believe that there may be many more in the area, up to forty of them. The findings can now lead to new knowledge about trading habits in ancient times and how they influenced the policies of their contemporaries in the area.
Source: Nick Romeo, Stunned Archaeologists Find 22 Ancient Greek Shipwrecks, National Geographic.
