Ancient ships found in dead zone a maritime trove

BULGARIA: It’s an eerie glimpse into the world of Marco Polo.

Archaeologists mapping the depths of the Black Sea have discovered 41 ships from the Middle Ages, with masts still standing and ropes left as sailors coiled them.

The finds confirm that the Black Sea’s ‘‘dead zone’’ - where organisms that destroy timber and rope cannot survive because of the lack of oxygen and light - is a trove of archaeological material.

The international team is surveying Bulgarian waters to try to find out when water levels rose after the last Ice Age and the effect on the prehistoric populations living on the coastline.

In the process they have discovered the wrecks, many of which provide the first views of ship types known from historical sources but never seen in modern times.

The wrecks, mostly from the Byzantine and Ottoman periods, give an insight into one of the great trade routes.

From ancient times, merchants criss-crossed the waters to trade between the Bosphorus - gateway to the Mediterranean - and what is now Russia and Central Asia. In Greek legend, Jason and the Argonauts crossed the Black Sea to reach Colchis in his quest for the Golden Fleece.

By the Middle Ages the sort of wealthy traders whose ships the team found were carrying slaves, furs and amber from Europe to Asia, and returning with silks, spices and perfumes.

One of the best-preserved ships found by the team is believed to be an Italian craft from the era of Marco Polo, the Venetian explorer who crossed the Black Sea on his return from the East. Another is an Ottoman vessel from several centuries later, with intricate carving on the tiller.

The sequence of ships plying similar routes over many centuries will help historians understand developments in maritime technology.

Because they are far out at sea, the scientists think the ships were sunk by treacherous weather rather than naval warfare.

Jon Adams, director of maritime archaeology at Southampton University, who is leading the Black Sea project, said: ‘‘The wrecks are a complete bonus, but a fascinating discovery, found during the course of our extensive geophysical surveys.

‘‘Using the latest 3-D recording technique for underwater structures, we’ve been able to capture astonishing images without disturbing the seabed. We are now among the very best exponents of this practice methodology and noone has achieved models of this completeness on shipwrecks at these depths.’’ - The Times