THE SHIPWRECK MUSEUM

The ship exhibited in the shipwreck museum is the oldest ship recovered so far. It belongs to the period of the Hellenistic kingdoms founded after the death of Alexander. It was first noticed by a sponge diver at a depth of 3 metres and was brought out by researchers from the University of Pennsylvania. Tests applied to almond remains on the ship point to the year 288 B.C.; tests applied to its timber show it is from 389 B.C.. This indicates that the ship was about eighty years old when it sank. The 15-metre body of the ship is made of Jerusalem pine. It is covered with a protective film presumably as a precaution against the mediterranean shipworm. The amphoras found on the ship which number around 400 are thought to have been loaded in Rhodes. Besides these, 29 bosalt mill stones have been found. It is possible to tell from the remains found on the ship that it did business on the Mediterranean and Aegean coasts before setting sail for Cyprus and that the crew's main supply of food was almonds. No human skeletons have been found on the ship.