The Orca Shipwreck is a shipwreck dating from the Late Bronze Age found in deep water in the eastern Mediterranean, 90 km (56 mi) off the shoreline of Israel. Believed to belong to ancient Canaanite merchants, the ship is considered the earliest deep-sea shipwreck to be discovered. The findings are hundreds of amphoras, dating to 1,300 BCE, two of which are planned to be exhibited in the National Campus for the Archaeology of IsraelinJerusalem.[1][2][3]
On 20 June 2024, the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) announced that the earliest discovered deep-sea shipwreck in the world had been found, about 90 km (56 mi) off the Israeli shoreline at the depth of 1.8 km (1.1 mi). The cargo of a Canaanite merchant vessel was discovered a year ago, when Energean, one of the world's leading natural gas production companies, was scanning the Mediterranean seafloor next to Israel's proposed Katlan natural gas field ("Katlan" is Hebrew for the orca). During the scan, an anomaly was observed which brought them to contact the IAA.[1][3]
After alerting the IAA regarding the seafloor anomaly, the conducted survey discovered evidence of a 3,300-year-old shipwreck on the seabed. The IAA claim that it was about 14 to 16 meters (46 to 52 feet) long, crewed by 4 to 6 sailors. Unless it had lost its way, the shipwreck's location indicates capabilities in deep-sea navigation. This is the earliest shipwreck ever discovered in deep sea water in the world. Following the survey, the IAA designed and dispatched a specially equipped robot to examine and retrieve samples from the ship's cargo of hundreds of jars. The samples taken consisted of two large jars dating to the Bronze Age. No trace of the ship itself has been found above the sea bed, but timbers may have survived below the cargo.[1][3]
According to the IAA, the Orca Shipwreck changes the understanding of marine navigation in ancient times.[1] Up to its discovery, it was thought that marine routes around the Mediterranean were based on sailing along the coast.[1] Discovering a ship in the middle of the sea, far from any shoreline or visible landmarks, proves navigation capabilities based on the movement of celestial bodies.[dubious – discuss] The reason why it sank is not yet known, but speculations include an attack by pirates and a leak in the ship. The most certain thing to be said of the sinking is that it occurred quickly.[1]
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