A significant discovery has been made in the waters off Ayvalık, a district of Balıkesir, as part of the Inventory of Turkish Sunken-Ships Project: Blue Heritage (TUBEP). A 1,500-year-old trade shipwreck has been located, shedding light on ancient maritime trade in the region.
The underwater cultural heritage mapping of the Ayvalık region was conducted under the supervision of associate professor Harun Özdaş, the director of the Underwater Research Center (SUDEMER) at Dokuz Eylül University, with permission from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. The research was carried out using domestically developed robotic underwater vehicles.
The shipwreck, located approximately 2.5 miles off the coast of Ayvalık, was identified by associate professor Nilhan Kızıldağ, the deputy director of SUDEMER and her team. The wreck is dated to the late fifth century A.D. based on preliminary findings. It is believed to be one of the largest ceramic "dishwrecks" discovered in the Aegean and Mediterranean seas, with nearly 10,000 ceramic plates found at the site. Due to its location in open waters, the wreck has been exceptionally well-preserved.
The research team suspects that the ship may have been traveling from North Africa or Cyprus to Istanbul when it sank, possibly after a storm. The wreck is estimated to be about 15 meters (49.21 feet) long and 9 meters wide, with only a small number of amphorae found alongside the dishes.
Özdaş explained that this discovery is part of the Blue Heritage Project, which focused on the northern Aegean this year. The project aims to create a geographic information system for underwater cultural heritage and sonar technology was used for acoustic mapping in the region. Anomalies were detected at a depth of 43 meters, leading to the discovery of the wreck site.
“Our high-tech equipment allowed us to dive and locate the wreck,” said Özdaş. “This discovery was made possible by our advanced robotic systems, as the wreck lies 2.5 miles off the coast at a depth of 43 meters. This area is beyond the reach of standard diving capabilities. We found that the amphorae we usually encounter in our work were not typical but a large pile of dishes arranged in approximately 15-20 clusters. This is the largest known dishwreck in the Aegean and Mediterranean so far.”
The team believes the ship may have originated from either North Africa or the island of Cyprus, with the wreck possibly resulting from a storm.
Özdaş also noted that ceramics produced in regions like Cyprus, North Africa, Egypt and Syria were often traded and transported to Anatolia, Greece, or Italy. However, until now, there has been no clear underwater evidence of such trade activities. The discovery of this shipwreck, with its cargo of nearly 10,000 plates, is unprecedented in its scale and significance.
“There are at least 5-6 different types of plates among the cargo,” said Özdaş. “In our 30 years of underwater research in Turkish waters, finding such wealth is a source of great happiness for us. The ship’s main cargo was ceramic plates and photogrammetric studies show that there are 10,000 plates on the site. This wreck is of great importance, especially because it has remained untouched and preserved in its original state. The variety and quantity of artifacts here represent a significant collection."
The Ministry of Culture and Tourism has been informed of the findings and there is potential for further research in 2025. According to Özdaş, the discovery is substantial enough to warrant the creation of a museum based on the artifacts uncovered. "We have found enough artifacts to open a museum," he added.
