The Maritime History Programme – 16: Old Money – The Uluburun and Gelidonya Wrecks

Two shipwrecks in southern Turkey are the dual focus of this latest episode from the brilliant Brandon Huebner. The Cape Gelidonya wreck was discovered first, making it the first ancient shipwreck to have ever been fully recovered from the sea floor. The Uluburun wreck was found later, but it is the oldest shipwreck to have yielded a substantial portion of her cargo along with a portion of her hull. Dr George Bass was the head of both wreck excavations, and the theory he ultimately proposed to explain the ships and their cargo was one that revolutionized the academic community's view of trade in the Late Bronze Age Mediterranean. Were the Uluburun and Cape Gelidonya wrecks both the ill-fated remains of voyages conducted by 'proto-Phoenician' sailors from the Levant? Listen to hear the evidence for yourself.