SOUTHAMPTON, ENGLAND—According to a BBC News report, a shipwreck radiocarbon dated to 400 B.C. has been found at a depth of more than one mile in the Black Sea by a team of English and Bulgarian researchers, who say the vessel resembles one depicted on a Greek vase dated to 480 B.C. The team members created a 3-D map of the ship, which measures about 75 feet long, with remotely operated vehicles. Its rudder, rowing benches, and the contents of its hold remain intact, they found, due to the cold, oxygen-free waters of the Black Sea. The great depth of the wreck site is also thought to have contributed to the vessel’s remarkable condition. “It’s preserved, it’s safe,” said Helen Farr, a member of the University of Southampton’s Black Sea Maritime Archaeological Project. “It’s not deteriorating and it’s unlikely to attract hunters.” Farr added that the researchers do not yet know what is in the ship’s cargo hold. “As archaeologists we’re interested in what it can tell us about technology, trade, and movements in the area,” she said. To read in-depth about the contents of a shipwreck found in the waters off a small Dutch island, go to “Global Cargo.”
