Underwater Archaeology Expedition Uncovers Dozens of Ancient Shipwrecks in Black Sea – gCaptain
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When an international team of scientists set out on an expedition to map submerged ancient landscapes in the Bulgarian waters of the Black Sea, there was no telling what exactly they would find. After all an expedition of this size and scope had never been attempted before in the area, where thousands of years ago large areas of land were inundated as the water level rose following the last Ice Age.
But perhaps the biggest finding was something absolutely nobody expected: ancient shipwrecks perfectly preserved at depths of more than 150 meters below the surface. In fact the team, led by the University of Southampton’s Centre for Maritime Archaeology, discovered a collection of more than 40 shipwrecks dating as far back as the Ottoman and Byzantine Empires, providing the first-ever views of ships from these eras and offering a glimpse into trade and seafaring life during these medieval times.
“The wrecks are a complete bonus, but a fascinating discovery, found during the course of our extensive geophysical surveys,” said Professor Jon Adams, Founding Director of the University of Southampton’s Centre for Maritime Archaeology and Principle Investigator on the Black Sea Maritime Archaeology Project (Black Sea MAP). “They are astonishingly preserved due to the anoxic conditions (absence of oxygen) of the Black Sea below 150 meters.”