Science
Related: About this forumWorld's oldest intact shipwreck discovered in Black Sea
The 23-metre (75ft) vessel, thought to be ancient Greek, was discovered with its mast, rudders and rowing benches all present and correct just over a mile below the surface. A lack of oxygen at that depth preserved it, the researchers said.
A ship surviving intact from the classical world, lying in over 2km of water, is something I would never have believed possible, said Professor Jon Adams, the principal investigator with the Black Sea Maritime Archaeology Project (MAP), the team that made the find. This will change our understanding of shipbuilding and seafaring in the ancient world.
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The team reportedly said they intended to leave the vessel where it was found, but added that a small piece had been carbon dated by the University of Southampton and claimed the results confirmed [it] as the oldest intact shipwreck known to mankind. The team said the data would be published at the Black Sea MAP conference at the Wellcome Collection in London later this week.
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2018/oct/23/oldest-intact-shipwreck-thought-to-be-ancient-greek-discovered-at-bottom-of-black-sea
dameatball
(7,392 posts)hlthe2b
(102,097 posts)JayhawkSD
(3,163 posts)I'd say it's fairly secure.
hlthe2b
(102,097 posts)LakeSuperiorView
(1,533 posts)The deepest divers are military and it's classified how low the can go. The biggest danger to this wreck is well funded treasure hunters using ROVs to go after artifacts.
LastLiberal in PalmSprings
(12,563 posts)Thinking an object can't be salvaged (or destroyed, in this case, since the boat is intact and just exposing it to the air will start the decomposition process) just because it's deep underwater is underestimating the profit motive.
They're already planning to send tourists to see the Apollo 11 landing site, if not personally then by using virtual reality and a rover. Any bets on how long Armstrong's "First Step on the Moon" will last once tourists show up and want selfies next to it?
BigGermanGuy
(131 posts)SO THAT'S WHERE I PARKED IT!!!
magicarpet
(14,113 posts)Mrs. Overall
(6,839 posts)BumRushDaShow
(128,348 posts)magicarpet
(14,113 posts)One would think it would be more buried in silt.
BumRushDaShow
(128,348 posts)that storms coming across that area may have been more frequent and/or more intense in recent years, and that may have churned up the silt and uncovered some of these vessels.
BlancheSplanchnik
(20,219 posts)Classical Era... Amazing!