On Wednesday, Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy said that the excavations on the seabed near Kekova Island in Antalya province in the south of Türkiye have yielded 4,700-year-old amphorae.

Ersoy posted information about the discovery on social media, which he named the “oldest shipwreck in the world.

In the Blue Homeland, the traces of the world’s oldest shipwreck are revealed,” he said.

Ersoy believes that the ancient vessels, which were believed to have been carrying olive oil or wine, were evidence of trade and cultural exchange among the Eastern Mediterranean countries.

Clay analysis suggests the amphorae might have been manufactured in workshops in the Jordan Valley, whereas similar ones found in Egypt, Troy and Crete indicate that there were extensive maritime trade networks at the time, he said.

One amphora with nine different inscriptions and two holes in the body was pointed out by Ersoy.

The boat was also thought to be a churn used for making cheese or butter, and may provide some answer on whether the ancient seafarers made food on their long voyages, he added.

The minister stated that Anatolia’s maritime history would continue to be explored in Türkiye and said that it would be preserved for future generations.