During underwater archaeology surveys conducted off the coast of Muğla’s Fethiye district, an ancient anchorage site where ships moored from the Bronze Age to the Ottoman era, along with three shipwrecks, have been found.
Associate Professor Hakan Öniz, head of the Department of Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Properties at Akdeniz University’s Faculty of Fine Arts and the research director, and his team are carrying out significant work to bring to light historical remains located meters beneath the water.
The team, which has reached shipwrecks by diving to depths of several meters with the help of advanced sonar devices and robots, both excavates the identified shipwrecks and conducts surface surveys for the discovery of new wrecks.
The archaeologists, who add the shipwrecks that sank with their cargo to the inventory and shed light on the maritime trade of the past through the finds they uncover during their excavations, reached 10 new shipwrecks this year — six in Antalya and four in Fethiye.
Working off the coast of Fethiye as well, the team discovered an ancient anchorage site dated to the 4th century B.C. and 6th century A.D., along with three shipwrecks. The discovery excited underwater archaeologists.
Excavation director Öniz told state-run Anadolu Agency that they documented 10 wrecks this year with the UPL scientific research vessel and said they carried out such work off the Fethiye coast for the first time this year.
Explaining that every discovery is exciting, Öniz said: “We documented an ancient anchorage site off the coast of Fethiye that was previously completely unknown. At this anchorage site, we identified that numerous ships came and anchored from the Bronze Age to the Ottoman era. We knew that the Antalya coasts had witnessed intense seafaring activities since the Bronze Age. Now we are including the eastern coasts of Fethiye in this. Ships probably departed from or headed toward the coasts of Egypt, Palestine, Lebanon, Syria and even Hatay, Adana and Mersin, and during storms they stopped at this ancient anchorage site in Fethiye. Some completed their anchoring procedures and left, while some could not raise their anchors during storms and those anchors remained underwater. These anchors reveal how many thousands of years Fethiye’s shores have borne witness to seafaring and how many millennia ships have come and gone along these coasts. This year, we documented such an important anchorage site.”
A total of 421 shipwrecks
Drawing attention to the fact that the eastern coasts of Fethiye are partly very exposed to wind and storms, Öniz stated that the anchorage site they discovered represents a rare opportunity for underwater archaeologists.
Pointing out that the area where the wreck was found was used by ships to take shelter during storms, Öniz noted that these places are usually the safe points of islands, or the wind-sheltered areas of peninsulas or bays.
Although it is a safe anchorage site, they also found three shipwrecks there, Öniz said, adding: “What we understand from this is that it is safe for winds coming from the west, but if the wind suddenly comes from the east, they need to escape immediately. When a storm comes from the opposite direction, it may not always be possible for sailors to pull up the anchor right away. Then they must cut the rope and flee. This is how we find the anchors. But there were also ships that could not escape during the storm. Three ships sank in the area after failing to escape the suddenly rising storm. Each wreck is a time capsule for us. We can understand what kinds of productions were made in that period, what kind of amphorae were used, where they were produced and from which city trade was carried out. Therefore, these are like books for us.”
Stating that the number of shipwrecks, which was 411 until last year, has reached 421 as of this year, Öniz emphasized that they document shipwrecks that carry archaeological value and add them to the inventory.
Noting that they carried out significant excavations at the Kumluca Ceramic Wreck, which has also been on the world agenda and the Kumluca Middle Bronze Age Wreck, known as “the world’s oldest wreck,” Öniz said, “We have extracted important artifacts from these wrecks. These artifacts will hopefully be exhibited at the Mediterranean Underwater Archaeology Museum in Kemer, which is planned to open at the end of 2026.”
