The wreck lies off Pabuç Burnu (Shoe Point), a promontory southeast of Bodrum (ancient Halikarnassos) on the Aegean coast of Turkey.
The ship is dated to the first half, likely the second quarter, of the 6th century BC (around 570-560 BC).
Iron Age Shipwrecks in the Mediterranean Sea
Pabuç Burnu Shipwreck (6th c. BC): Laced Hull & Archaic Greek Shipbuilding
Discovered near Bodrum, the 6th-century BC Pabuç Burnu shipwreck reveals the first evidence of laced Greek hull construction in the Aegean, showing an early transition to tenon joinery. Excavated by INA in 2002-2003.
By Nick Nutter | Published: 2025-10-21 | Updated: 2025-10-23
Visited 1,052 times
Pabuç Burnu shipwreck 6th c BC (Turkey)
The 6th-century BC Pabuç Burnu shipwreck, discovered off the coast of Turkey near Bodrum, offers significant insights into early Archaic Greek shipbuilding techniques. Excavations by the Institute of Nautical Archaeology (INA) in 2002 and 2003 revealed scant but crucial remains of the hull.
Discovery and Excavation
The site was first reported in 2001 by a local dive operator to George Bass, who was leading an Institute of Nautical Archaeology (INA) survey of the Turkish coast. The initial assessment dive took place on October 9, 2001.
The main excavation, led by INA (Institute of Nautical Archaeology) archaeologists like George Bass, Elizabeth S. Greene, and Mark Polzer, took place in the summers of 2002 and 2003.
The scant hull remains provided the first archaeological evidence for laced shipbuilding in the Aegean. The planks were laced together with ligatures. Significantly, the construction also included the use of tenons as coaks (edge inserts), which is seen as an early transitional stage paving the way for the later, more common mortise-and-tenon joinery of classical shipbuilding.
Construction Details
Edge-joined planks: The hull planks were placed edge-to-edge and held together by coaks inserted between the strakes. Notably, the Pabuç Burnu ship used tenons as coaks, the earliest known instance of tenon usage in Greek shipbuilding. Other contemporary shipwrecks from the Western Mediterranean used dowels as coaks.
Lacing: Ligatures, made from fibrous plants, were then laced through oblique holes drilled through characteristic tetrahedral notches along the edges of the planks.
Pegging: After lacing, alder pegs were hammered into the holes to secure the ligatures and create a watertight seal.
Framing: The ship had widely spaced, manufactured frames. These frames had trapezoidal sections and were notched over the planking seams on their underside. The frames were then lashed to the hull. Top-timbers with rectangular sections were inserted along the upper sides of the hull and were attached to the planking by both lashing and treenails (wooden dowels).
Repair evidence: Two repair planks found on the hull were attached using a combination of lacing and dowels/coaks inserted through diagonal holes, indicating repair techniques of the time.
Significance: The employment of tenons as coaks marks an early step towards the later widespread adoption of mortise-and-tenon joinery. The presence of both lacing and early forms of tenon joinery suggests that the mortise-and-tenon technique might have developed within the Greek tradition of laced construction, rather than being solely adopted from Phoenician or other shipbuilding practices.
Cargo and Findings
The preserved ceramic cargo suggests the ship was carrying agricultural products, primarily contained in amphoras of a type thought to originate from the area around Halikarnassos (the Ionian region of East Greece, perhaps Samos, Ephesus, or Miletus). The load was relatively modest, estimated at well under 10 tons. The findings suggest a practice of local transport rather than large-scale, long-distance luxury trade.
References
The main archaeological work was conducted by the Institute of Nautical Archaeology (INA) at Texas A&M University.
Greene, Elizabeth S., Mark L. Lawall, and Mark E. Polzer. "Inconspicuous Consumption: The Sixth-Century B.C.E. Shipwreck at Pabuç Burnu, Turkey." American Journal of Archaeology (2008).
Polzer, Mark E. "An Archaic Laced Hull in the Aegean: The 2003 Excavation and Study of the Pabuç Burnu Ship Remains" and "The VIth-Century B.C. Shipwreck at Pabuç Burnu, Turkey. Evidence for Transition from Lacing to Mortise-and-Tenon Joinery in Later Archaic Greek Shipbuilding."
Enjoying the fast, clean reading experience?
Discover how I partnered with an AI to rescue this outdated site from technical debt and hit perfect 100/100 Lighthouse scores. Legacy Reloaded is the ultimate guide to modernising old code without losing your mind.
Location Map
You have finished reading chapter 13
More articles in the Iron Age Shipwrecks in the Mediterranean Sea series:
