Eerie “ship graveyard” discovered in Black Sea
Below the icy surface of the Black Sea, unique conditions have created an incredible underwater graveyard for unlucky ships.
What is it?
In 2016 a team of scientists studying a section of the Black Sea discovered something incredible. They were really looking for the effect changes in sea levels had had on early societies, but instead came across a well-preserved ship ‘graveyard’ of up to 60 wrecks dating back as far as 800AD. The sunken vessels include medieval Italian ships from the 14th century, Ottoman ships from the 16th to 18th century, and several ships from the 19th century. The majority of the ships are trading vessels that would have been carrying grain, wine, metal and timber, though some could also be military vessels. Scientists believe all the ships were sunk by storms, rather than during battles, and some are so well preserved that they can even make out individual chisel marks on the wood made during their construction. Multi-million dollar remote operated vehicles (ROVs) have been combing the sea floor, taking photos, videos and three-dimensional laser measurements of the ships.
Last seen 2,000yrs ago: #Roman #Shipwreck w. in-situ quarter rudders, depth: 2100m! courtesy #blackseamap for @unisouthampton #Archaeology pic.twitter.com/kpONbiMueT
— Shipwrecks (@UoSShipwrecks) September 21, 2017
Where is it?
The Black Sea is a body of water that sits between Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It borders Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, Russia, Georgia and Turkey. The Black Sea used to be an important trade route between East and West, which explains why so many ships would have been travelling across it over the centuries – despite the apparent danger.
The detail of decoration and the presence of ropes visible on an Ottoman shipwreck in the Black Sea is jaw-dropping #portuslimen pic.twitter.com/KPRCh6A0Hl
— Dr Sophie Hay (@pompei79) January 27, 2017
How have they been preserved?
The unique makeup of the water in the Black Sea is what preserved these ships for centuries. Thousands of years ago, the Black Sea was really more of a lake and filled with fresh water. Following the end of the last ice age, around 12,000 years ago, sea levels began to rise and flooded the lake with salt water. This resulted in two distinct layers of water – a low saltwater level with no oxygen and a higher level with less salt and more oxygen. This bottom layer is what preserved the ships, as no oxygen means the wood and rope did not decay. It’s a one of a kind environment that has created this remarkable graveyard deep below the surface.