SHIPWRECKS DISCOVERED ALONG THE WESTERN COAST OF TURKEY
The Aegean Sea has always played a significant role in the ancient maritime trade in terms of connecting the Mediterranean, the Marmara, and the Black Seas together. A large number of sheltered bays and natural harbors along the coast of the Aegean Sea provided a favorable environment for ancient mariners. As the population of cities increased, their basic needs required various products from other settlements, and the sea transportation became a preferred means for trade since it was cheaper and faster.
Numerous shipwrecks and submerged cultural remains have been discovered along the coast of the Aegean Sea during the surveys of Shipwreck Inventory Project of Turkey (SHIPT). The shipwrecks from the Bronze Age to the Ottoman Period were located and documented in the Eastern Aegean regions. The majority of the shipwrecks found have been dated to from the Hellenistic to Late Roman period during the ten-year survey. The survey results indicate that there was a great commercial capacity created by the transportation of cargo in this region. The underwater archaeological remains also serve as an indicator for general trade routes.