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Ancient Shipwreck

In the hall where the finds from the Yassıada shipwreck, found off the coast of the Bodrum Peninsula are on show, there is also a model of the wreck that you can walk over. In the ship, which was dated to the 6th century AD, there were many amphorae that were filled with wine was the cargo of the ship. During excavations, kitchen utensils, the remains of food and equipment of the vessel were salvaged. All the iron original artefacts that were salvaged were so badly corroded by the effects of the salt water that their character could not be made out. The most interesting find was the plaque bearing the name of the ship’s captain, George, engraved on it. The plaque has on it an image of a pig’s face. The room in which the ship is displayed was once used as a chapel by the knights.

The Exhibition Hall of Bronze Age Wrecks: This exhibition is to the east of the castle, in front of the British Tower, where are displayed pieces salvaged from the oldest shipwrecks found in Turkish waters. The şeytanderesi Batağı (The Streamlet of Satan Wreck) was found in a crevice in the Gulf of Gökova and the finds consist of cups and jars. While there was no information on the ship itself, the pieces recovered were dated to the 16th century BC and highly believed to come from the city of Keramos, named for its pottery production centre. The second wreck in the hall is the famous Gelindonya Point Wreck, which was carrying bronze plates, an anvil and shipping and agricultural tools when it sank.

The Gelindonya Wreck is believed to be the oldest shipwreck in Turkey. The vessel started its journey from the Caananite state in Palestine and according, to Egyptian records, was a merchant ship. In the vessel, which was dated to the 13th century BC, there was a cup from the Mycenaean world. Another wreck on display is that from Kaş-Uluburun. The finds from this wreck are displayed as they found in a full scale replica of the ship’s skeleton. Most of the pieces are merchandise that came from Egypt, Caanan and Cyprus. The items of ivory and ebony in the cargo section are of African origin. There were copper blocks from Cyprus, and Caananite amphorae that were filled with Arab mastic incense. Moreover, many extraordinary pieces such as the golden seal belonging to the Egyptian Queen Nerfertiti that was sold to a scrap collector, an ivory fringed wooden book, a statue of the goddess of Caanan that protected ships and Egyptian blue glass blocks were recovered. With the study of the rings in the wood of the ship the vessel was dated to around 1316 BC. You have to pay an extra fee to visit this section of the museum.