Byzantine Shipwrecks Shed New Light On Ancient Ship Building

37 shipwrecks from the Byzantine Empire have been discovered as part of archaeological excavations that began in Turkey in 2004.

The shipwrecks were discovered in Yenikapi, Istanbul, a port of the ancient city which was called Constantinople during the Byzantine period. The ships are in exceptionally good condition say the archaeologists, especially since they date back to between the fifth and eleventh centuries.

Cemal Pulak, a study author from the Institute of Nautical Archaeology at Texas A&M University, stated, “Never before has such a large number and types of well preserved vessels been found at a single location.”