Where was the answer? In a cargo of almonds. The mysteries of the famous Hellenistic-era shipwreck of the Kyrenia were revealed thanks to that. The shipwreck dated thanks to the almonds was discovered and recovered off the northern coast of Cyprus in the 1960s.
Almonds analysed in the laboratory identified the most likely chronology of the sinking of the Kyrenia. It happened between 296 and 271 BC. The article is published in PLoS ONE. The Kyrenia is the first large Greek ship from the Hellenistic period to be found with a virtually intact hull. Its cargo included hundreds of ceramic vessels.
Historic moment
“This evidence was untouched for 2,000 years at the bottom of the sea,” Stuart Manning said in a statement. He is a professor in the department of Classical Archeology and lead author of the study. «It was a historic moment. “Shipwrecks are unique time capsules and amazing conservation can be achieved.”
For the past six decades, the Kyrenia has provided key insights into ancient ship technology. But the chronology of its provenance has been a mystery. It was thought to have been built and sunk in the late 4th century BC.
The biggest obstacle to accurately dating Kyrenia was polyethylene glycol (PEG). It is a petroleum-based compound. It was applied to the wood so that it would not decompose when taken out of the ocean. «We remove the PEG from the wood and radiocarbon date it. “That’s how we confirmed his age,” Manning said.
Almonds
Organic materials found on the ship were studied. These included thousands of fresh green almonds found in some of the large amphorae. These “short-lived” sample materials helped to define the date of the ship’s last voyage.
The shipwreck dated thanks to almonds and the researchers’ innovative technique continues to make people talk. The ancient remains of the ship remain a window to a past that will forever fascinate us.
