Uluburun shipwreck

Archaeological Site Late Bronze Age shipwreck with extensive cargo finds

Late Bronze Age shipwreck excavated off Turkey’s southwestern coast; archaeologists recovered copper and tin ingots, Canaanite jars, and luxury goods that illuminate 14th-century BCE Mediterranean trade; many finds are displayed in Turkish museums.

The Uluburun shipwreck is a Late Bronze Age vessel found off the southern coast of Turkey near Kaş, dated to the late 14th century BCE. Its excavation yielded one of the most important assemblages of eastern Mediterranean Bronze Age trade goods.

Archaeologists recovered large quantities of metal ingots, Canaanite storage jars, Mycenaean and Cypriot pottery, and luxury items such as ivory and glass, illustrating complex long-distance exchange networks. The cargo and ship’s equipment have been central to studies of Bronze Age economy, technology and cross-cultural contact.

The wreck was located by a sponge diver in 1982 and subsequently excavated under professional archaeological direction through the 1980s and early 1990s, producing thousands of catalogued finds now studied and conserved.

The site lies off Cape Uluburun near the coastal town of Kaş in Antalya Province on Turkey’s Mediterranean coast.

Discovery: Discovered by a sponge diver in 1982 and excavated by professional underwater archaeological teams between 1984 and the early 1990s.
Date: Dated to the late 14th century BCE, the wreck's cargo provides direct evidence of long-distance trade in the Late Bronze Age Mediterranean.

How to Get to Uluburun shipwreck #

The Uluburun wreck is offshore near Kaş and Bodrum in southwestern Turkey; the primary public access to its finds is through museums such as the Bodrum Underwater Archaeology Museum. Diving the actual wreck location is restricted to licensed archaeological teams and researchers.

Tips for Visiting Uluburun shipwreck #

Visit the Bodrum Underwater Archaeology Museum to see many of the Uluburun finds, including shell and metal cargo items.
If diving the general area, only do so with experienced archaeological diving operators; the wreck site itself is protected and not open for recreational excavation.
Read excavation reports (notably work published in the 1990s by the Institute of Nautical Archaeology) to appreciate the cargo's complexity before seeing the exhibits.