08-18-2007, 04:10 PM
In November 2005, workers digging on the Bosphorus Tunnel Project at Yenkapi discovered an ancient harbor of Byzantium, now known as the Theodosian harbour which included a Byzantine ship with an intact skeleton, the oldest ship discovered in such condition. The Theodosian harbour is believed to be an expansion of an earlier port known as the Eleutherion port. In source materials, both names are used interchangeably. The Yenikapi excavations just keep getting better. The dig teams have exposed a long section of the city wall from the days of Constantine I In January 2006 we got excited that seven sunken ships had been found buried in the mud – one being an 11th century warship. Then by July of that year the tally was eight. In September the ninth was announced. At last count there were 23 shipwrecks, including the first Byzantine galleys ever found. It may, some say, be the greatest nautical archaeological site of all time. Cargoes, ropes leather work and a mountain of other things are being uncovered. There are 1,000-year-old ships rigging ropes in perfect condition, preserved in silt. There are huge forged iron anchors, viewed as so valuable in medieval Byzantium they were highly prized items in the dowries of the daughters of the wealthy. The site has grown into the largest archaeological dig in Istanbul's history.
From the 4th Century section of the dig the archeologists have found leather sandals and around a thousand candle-holders and hairbrushes.
An interesting article appears here:
BYZANTINE SHIPWRECKS OF YENIKAPI PROJECT:
http://www.woam2007.nl/Programme-Icom-woam.pdf
A more generic article is to be found in Archaeology Magazine Volume 60 Number 4, July/August 2007
http://www.archaeology.org/0707/abstracts/istanbul.html
Has anyone found any published photos or other articles?
From the 4th Century section of the dig the archeologists have found leather sandals and around a thousand candle-holders and hairbrushes.
An interesting article appears here:
BYZANTINE SHIPWRECKS OF YENIKAPI PROJECT:
http://www.woam2007.nl/Programme-Icom-woam.pdf
A more generic article is to be found in Archaeology Magazine Volume 60 Number 4, July/August 2007
http://www.archaeology.org/0707/abstracts/istanbul.html
Has anyone found any published photos or other articles?
Peter Raftos