Ancient Near East

Archaeological Site of Phoenician Shipwreck

Location of the two Phoenician ships of c. 750 B.C. that foundered 46km off Gaza with cargoes of wine in amphoras. The crew of the U.S. Navy deep submergence research submarine NR-1 discovered the sites in 1997 and in 1999 a team led by Robert Ballard and Harvard University archeology Professor Lawrence Stager investigated the wrecks....

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Turkey Bodrum

Replica of the Yassiada shipwreck from Byzantine times (7th c.), St. Peter's castle; Bodrum, Turkey...

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Mesopotamian Boats

The paucity of pictorial representation of Mesopotamian boats makes comparisons difficult. Their watercraft, as presently known, did not survive the ages. Despite advances in the maritime archaeology around the world, the ships and boats of Mesopotamia remain elusive. The little information we have is currently limited to iconography and texts....

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Shipwreck of lost 'Sea People' Found

The discovery of a shipwreck belonging to the enigmatic "Sea Peoples" is a significant archaeological find that sheds light on one of the ancient world's enduring mysteries. The Sea Peoples were a confederation of seafaring groups who played a role in the political upheaval and conflicts in the Eastern Mediterranean during the late Bronze Age. Here...

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Phoenican Trading Ship

Marititme History/ Ancient Mesopotamian Ships/ Phoenican Trading Ship Phoenician cargo and trading ships of this design are known from the tomb of Sargon of Nineveh, c.700 B.C. where such ships were depicted loading cedar logs. These symmetrical, 'round', oared, sailing ships had high stem and stern posts upon which were carved horse heads. This s...

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Reconstruction of the Yassiada shipwreck

Turkey Bodrum (partial) reconstruction of the Yassiada shipwreck from Byzantine times (7th c.), St. Peter's castle; Bodrum, Turkey...

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Phoenician Ships, Navigation and Commerce

The first attempts of the Phoenicians to navigate the sea which washed their coast were probably as clumsy and rude as those of other primitive nations. They are said to have voyaged from island to island by means of rafts.1 When they reached the shores of the Mediterranean, it can scarcely have been long ere they constructed boats for fishing and ...

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Phoenician Cargo Ship

Considered the best shipbuilders of the time, the Phoenicians designed boats that depended more on wind than on manpower. Phoenician ships could carry more cargo than galley ships, which needed room for oars and rowers......

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Phoenician Ships

The best seafarers and ship builders of the ancient world were the Phoenicians. The famous Lebanese cedar tress covering the slopes of mountains of their native land was a perfect material for construction of strong seaworthy ships. The Phoenicians made important contributions to the marine science, having been credited with the division of a circl...

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Turkey Bodrum (partial) reconstruction

Turkey Bodrum (partial) reconstruction of the Yassiada shipwreck from Byzantine times (7th c.), St. Peter's castle; Bodrum, Turkey...

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