TEKTAŞ ISLAND WRECK, The Museum of Underwater Archaeology, BODRUM Mehmet Çuhadar

TEKTAŞ WRECK
During the traditional survey conducted by the Institute of Nautical Archaeology in 1996, a shipwreck near Tektaş Island was discovered. The wreck, Lying at a depth of 38 to 43 meters, was dated to the 5th century B.C., the Golden Age of the Athenian maritime empire. The ship sank between 440 and 425 B.C. or shortly after that.

For further questions about Underwater Archeology in Turkey, Türkiye and Visiting The Museum of Underwater Archeology and Archeological sites in Bodrum and ancient CARIA Region, Please contact
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Archaeologists decided to excavate this Classical Age Shipwreck to get information on trade and shipbuilding techniques of the 5th century. George Bass and his assistant Deborah Carlson led the excavation.
The ship had a cargo of 200 amphorae from Mende, Chios, Samian, and Ionian Erythrae, carrying wine and pine tar. It also carried butchered beef, smaller quantities of ceramic lamps, bowls, drinking cups, and table amphoras. Some of these amphoras matched the amphorae of Mende, famous for its wine in northern Greece. Some revealed various stamps, including the Greek letters EPY, possibly representing the Greek city of Ionian Erythrae. The most crucial find recovered from the ship was the eye images carved on marble. The eye figures on both sides of the ship's bow called the "ship's eyes" or "the eye of Achilles," are unique and sometimes appear in ancient vase paintings. In many cultures, eyes help the ship find its way among the waves. The Tektaş Burnu shipwreck produced the only stratified examples of marble ship's eyes from an ancient shipwreck. Another important finding of the Tektas wreck was lead-filled anchor stocks, the only examples securely dated to the fifth century B.C. Archeologists also discovered many nails securing the ship's hull and fishing hooks.
Tektas wreck, with its finds, gives an excellent idea of the local trade and economic conditions of Ionia. The exhibition in the museum includes some kitchen utensils, black glaze pottery, clay pots, oil lamps, hunting tools, and bones. Since archeologists didn't discover any of the crew's items, they believed the staff had time to leave the ship before it sank.

For further questions about Underwater Archeology in Turkey, Türkiye and Visiting The Museum of Underwater Archeology, Archeological sites in Bodrum and ancient CARIA Region, Please contact
cuhadar.mehmet@gmail.com

cuhadar.mehmet@gmail.com

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