OTTOMAN SHIPWRECK (ALANYA)

In 2019, we studied a shipwreck dated to the Ottoman Period off the coast of Alanya District in Antalya Province, with the permission of the General Directorate of Cultural Heritage and Museums.

The shipwreck has been known since 2010, and in 2018, a comprehensive protection and documentation program was developed following a report submitted to the Alanya Museum Directorate. That same year, we began removing and documenting artifacts on the seafloor that required preservation. The excavations were conducted under the supervision of the Museum Directorate to prevent any potential risks to the shipwreck.

The wreck belonged to a merchant ship carrying copper utensils within the Ottoman Empire. The ship partially burned and sank, likely due to an explosion while sailing toward Alanya Cape. Based on Ottoman inscriptions on copper coins recovered from the wreck, we estimate that the ship sank sometime after 1703. The large number of scattered fragments suggests that fire or an explosion was the probable cause of the sinking.