Found 5 oldest boats in the Mediterranean Sea

Five boats found at the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea were used more than 7,000 years ago for fishing by people living in a Neolithic village near present-day Rome (Italy).

According to a study just published in the journal PLOS One, archaeologists discovered boats off the Italian coast at La Marmotta , a prehistoric coastal settlement that was underwater, during excavation process.

The large dugout canoes – made of European oak – were built between 5700 and 5100 BC, radiocarbon dating revealed. These are the oldest boats ever found in the Mediterranean.

The oldest ship has just been found at the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea.

Study co-author Mario Mineo, an archaeologist and director coordinator at the Museum of Civilizations in Rome, Italy, said: ' One of the smallest boats was probably used for fishing. The two largest are nearly 11m long, 1.2m wide and were likely used for trade."

Boat builders also use advanced techniques to construct ships. For example, they have incorporated transverse reinforcements, which will increase the durability of the boat's hull.

Senior study author Niccolò Mazzucco, a senior researcher at the Department of Civilization and Forms of Knowledge at the University of Pisa in Italy, said: ' The shipbuilding techniques and materials used reveal an understanding profound about shipbuilding. This is very meaningful because it demonstrates the ingenuity and skill of ancient people in using natural resources to create effective means of transportation."

Mazzucco added: 'These advances demonstrate a deeper understanding of maritime technology and navigation, with ships equipped for long-distance voyages. However, we have not determined the exact types of boats used, the boat construction method and how the boat's parts were attached to each other, whether by ropes, wooden pegs or any other means."

Mazzucco said the shipbuilders' ability to choose the type of wood to build their ships was also notable, as it showed that they knew which trees could be used to build ships. In contrast, at other [Neolithic] sites where more than one boat has been found, the same species of wood was often used for shipbuilding.

According to the study, in addition to the boats, archaeologists also found many artifacts scattered around the area, including flint and obsidian tools, ceramic vases, figurines and jewelry. mind.