An underwater excavation off the coast of Kumluca in Antalya, Turkey, has led to the discovery of a bronze dagger with silver rivets, believed to date back approximately 3,600 years to the Minoan civilization. The dagger was found on a sunken ship. This significant find, made at a depth of 50 meters, is one of the most remarkable underwater archaeological discoveries in Turkey’s recent history.

The excavation project began in July and August of 2019, with the approval of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Turkey, and has been conducted under the leadership of ᴀssoc. Prof. Dr. Hakan Öniz from Akdeniz University. The team, which has been diving into the depths of the Mediterranean Sea for several years, discovered the dagger in a shipwreck believed to have been transporting copper ingots from the Troodos Mountains in Cyprus. The vessel, which sank off the coast of ancient Lycia, was likely en route to Crete when it met its watery fate.

The discovery of the dagger offers new insights into the trade routes and cultural interactions of the Mediterranean during the Bronze Age. The Minoan civilization, which flourished on the island of Crete, was a dominant maritime power in the eastern Mediterranean and known for its extensive trade networks. These networks connected the Minoans with various regions, including Egypt, the Levant, Anatolia, Cyprus, and the Greek mainland. The Minoans were skilled seafarers who facilitated the movement of goods across vast distances, establishing Crete as a crucial hub in the ancient world.

Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy highlighted the importance of the discovery in a statement shared on social media platform X. He said, “A 3,600-year-old secret from the depths of the Mediterranean Sea has come to light. A bronze dagger with silver rivets belonging to the Minoan civilization was found during underwater excavations off the coast of the Kumluca district of Antalya. This wreck may be one of the most important discoveries not only in Turkey but also in the world of underwater archaeology.”

Akdeniz’in derinliklerinden 3 bin 600 yıllık sır gün ışığına kavuştu. 🗡️

Antalya’nın Kumluca ilçesi açıklarında gerçekleştirilen su altı kazılarında Girit-Minos uygarlığına ait gümüş perçinli bir tunç hançer bulundu.

✨Batık, sadece Türkiye’nin değil, dünya su altı… pic.twitter.com/bgTHiJZop9

— Mehmet Nuri Ersoy (@MehmetNuriErsoy) August 29, 2024

The archaeological team used cutting-edge technology and modern methods to minimize errors and ensure precise documentation of the site. Sonar surveys, pH๏τo scans, and pH๏τographic mosaics were employed to create three-dimensional scans of the wreck, revealing that the copper ingots found alongside the dagger were extracted from mines in Cyprus and molded in the 15th or 16th centuries BCE.

The excavation project, which has been ongoing since 2019, is a collaborative effort between Akdeniz University and the Antalya Museum Directorate, with the support of Turkey’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism. Research on this significant shipwreck is expected to continue over the next five years, as experts aim to uncover more artifacts and further understand the historical context of the find.

Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Turkey