Scholars and archeologists have announced they have found new artifacts at the discovery of the world’s largest and oldest shipyard from the Bronze Age on Dana Island. The island is located off the coast of the southern province of Mersin’s Silifke district. The first discovery was made in 2015 by Associate Professor Hakan Öniz.
Öniz, the Head of the Preservation and Restoration of Underwater Cultural Heritage Department and Director of Kemer Underwater Archaeology Research and Application Center at Akdeniz University (AÜ), reported that their ongoing research has led to the discovery of a total of 294 ancient boatyards. Additionally, he noted that during the same era, approximately 300 ships were constructed in the shipyard located on Dana Island.
Öniz highlighted that their recent discoveries indicate the presence of specialized construction for crafting lifeboats and smaller vessels behind the sites where large ships were manufactured. These findings, detailed by Öniz, have been published as an article in an international scientific journal.
Investigation in 2015
In 2015, Öniz and his research team undertook a study on diving restrictions along the coast of Silifke. During this inquiry, they uncovered close to 100 boatyards on Dana Island. Öniz elaborated, highlighting that these were easily accessible ramps extending from the sea to the land, streamlining the building and upkeep of new vessels. The discovery of 100 such ramps from ancient times was deemed remarkable.
Subsequently, in 2016, with approval from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, they initiated investigations into these 100 ship ramps on Dana Island. Over the course of their research from 2016 to 2017, they identified a total of 274 ship ramps. Öniz underscored the significance of this revelation, noting that it indicated the capacity to concurrently construct 274 ships. Historical records suggested that a ship could be completed within six months. Consequently, the ability to build 500-600 warships annually held considerable strategic importance, potentially reshaping the power dynamics across the Mediterranean.
