GELIDONIA WRECK

 In 1958, sponge diver Kemal Aras from Bodrum showed the Gelidonya Shipwreck, located west of Antalya, to journalist Peter Throckmorton, an American anthropologist researching shipwrecks in the Aegean.

 The Gelidonya shipwreck was different from other shipwrecks carrying amphorae. At the site of the wreck, Many copper ingots scattered over the rocks and fused with the rocks. Peter Throckmorton convinced archaeologist George Bass to excavate this Bronze Age ship. This excavation began the long and successful career of George Bass, who would later be called the “Father of Underwater Archeology.” Arriving in Gelidonya in 1960, Bass and his crew discovered that the ship was a Late Bronze Age ship carrying ingots of copper and metal items. Having trouble extracting the copper ingots from the rocks, the archaeologists cut and carried them to ship and separated them. The finds on the vessel gave information about the ship’s route and history. The ship, which set off from the Syrian coast, stopped in Cyprus, bought copper, and sank through the islands near Cape Gelidonya to the west of Antalya. 

 The analysis of the ship’s wood, wicker pieces, and bush discovered among the copper ingots was dated by the Carbon 14 method. The Gelidonya Shipwreck was dated to the 12th century BC.

 Lying at a depth of about 28 meters, the main load of the ship was copper ingots, each weighing about 24 kilograms. The single square sailing ship carried about 1 tonne of cargo and was 12 meters long.

 Many scrap metals on the ship indicated they were melted, and new forms were given. A moon-shaped razor, five pieces of Egyptian Scarab imitations, and the ship’s stone anchor were Interesting artifacts discovered on the ship.

The Gelidonya Shipwreck excavation was a completely underwater dig following the principles of land archeology.

 After the Gelidonya finds were transported to Bodrum, the Bodrum Castle was transformed into the Underwater Archeology Museum.