Bronze Age Shipwrecks in the Mediterranean Sea

The Mediterranean Sea has been a crossroads of human civilization for millennia, and the many shipwrecks that lie on its bottom are a treasure trove of information for archaeologists. These wrecks can tell us about the ships themselves, the cargo they were carrying, the people who built and sailed them, and the trade routes they travelled. We study the methods of construction and trace their cargoes to see the extent of the trading and communications networks both on land and at sea.

The oldest wrecks found in the Mediterranean Sea are from the Bronze Age and we are fortunate to have one, the Dokos wreck, that predates the emergence of the Minoan maritime network. In this series of articles we have shown that the maritime trading networks started off as purely local, short range, coastal voyages and, by the end of the Bronze Age, about 1200 BC, had extended throughout the eastern Mediterranean, Adriatic and Aegean seas.

We also show that products were brought from far afield on the land based trade routes to be re-distributed through the Mediterranean maritime networks and that those routes were well established by the end of the Bronze Age.

1: Dokos Shipwreck 2200 BC

The Early Bronze Age shipwreck at Dokos (2200 BC)

The Dokos shipwreck is, to date (October 2023), the oldest underwater shipwreck discovery known to archaeologists. The w Read the article >>

2: Pseira shipwreck 1725 – 1675 BC

The Minoan shipwreck at Pseira 1725 – 1675 BC

The Pseira shipwreck yielded a large quantity of Minoan ceramics dated between 1800 and 1675 BC Read the article >>

3: Kumluca shipwreck 1600 - 1500 BC

The Antalya Kumluca shipwreck 1600 - 1500 BC

The Antalya Kumluca shipwreck is, to date, the oldest bronze age shipwreck to be found with a cargo of copper ingots. Th Read the article >>

4: Uluburun Shipwreck 1335 - 1305 BC

Late Bronze Age shipreck off Uluburun (1335 - 1305 BC)

The Uluburun ship yielded the world’s largest Bronze Age collection of raw metals ever found — enough copper and tin Read the article >>

5: Deep Water Late Bronze Age Wreck

Deep Water Late Bronze Age Wreck off Israeli Coast

In 2023, a late bronze age wreck was found in deep water about ninety kilometres off the north coast of Israel. Its carg Read the article >>

6: Point Iria Shipwreck c 1200 BC

Late Bronze Age shipwreck at Point Iria c 1200 BC

The remains of the Point Iria shipwreck are important for being one of the rarest and most important assemblages of pott Read the article >>

7: Modi Island Shipwreck c1200 BC

The Modi island shipwreck contained ceramics from Mycenae and dates to the late bronze age. Read the article >>

8: Cape Gelidonya shipwreck c 1200 BC

The Cape Gelidonya late bronze age shipwreck that sank about 1200 BC is one of the most important archaeological discove Read the article >>

9: Late Bronze Age wrecks on the Carmel coast

22 late Bronze Age shipwrecks along the Carmel coast of Israel

The cargoes from 22 shipwrecks found off the Carmel coast of Israel give a valuable insight into the extent of the marit Read the article >>

10: Bronze Age boatbuilding techniques

Bronze Age boatbuilding techniques: The Zambratija Cove Shipwreck

Journey 3000 years back in time and discover the remarkable story of the Zambratija Cove shipwreck, the oldest entirely Read the article >>

11: Bronze Age Wrecks - Summary

Development of Mediterranean sea trading networks during the Bronze Age

Using the cargoes from Bronze Age wrecks to illustrate the expansion of trade routes and connections to and from the Med Read the article >>