Kyrenia – Ancient Shipwreck Museum

Ancient Shipwreck

The Ancient Shipwreck Museum is located in Kyrenia Northern Cyprus, and is home to an old trading ship, along with its cargo, which sailed the Mediterranean Sea during the time of Alexander the Great. The vessel and cargo were raised from the bed of the ocean, and now form a fascinating historical exhibit at the Ancient Shipwreck Museum.

According to evidence this vessel sank less than a mile from the anchorage of Kyrenia in open waters, and is said to have sunk in rough seas in around 300BC. Raising the vessel involved an expedition that included technicians, students, archaeologists, and divers in the 1960s. The ship and cargo were found spread over a large area.

Visitors to the Ancient Shipwreck Museum will find a range of fascinating cargo exhibits to explore, as well as the wreck itself. These exhibits enable visitors to explore and learn more about the traders from over two thousand years ago, and amongst the exhibit items that can be found in the museum are over four hundred wine amphoras from Rhodes.

Also amongst the items that were recovered from the wreck are wooden spoons, jugs, salt dishes, and drinking cups, and these give an indication of the number of crew members that were aboard the vessel when it went on its last doomed voyage. Also recovered were jars filled with nine thousand perfectly preserved almonds. You will find a range of other items that were recovered from the vessel when it was raised, all of which help to form a truly fascinating exhibit that tells its own story.

When exploring the wreck itself, visitors can learn more about the way the vessel was constructed, which is very different to the ways ships are built today. It is thought that the ship was around eighty years old when she sank over two thousand years ago, making this the oldest known shipwreck. A number of contributions made in the 1970s enabled the preservation and conservation of the vessel, which was started in 1970 and went on for four years.

More Article About Kyrenia Sights

The Anthipanitis Church

The Bellapais Monastery

Fascinating Buffavento Castle

The Folk Arts Museum

The Hz.Omer Tomb

Icon Museum

The Kyrenia Castle

The Kyrenia Harbour

Lambousa

Kyrenia Sourpmagar Monastery

St. Hilarion Castle