Medieval wrecks sink to the bottom of the river

Archaeologists from Samara Polytech University came to examine the wreck located at a depth of 10m under the Volga River, near the city of Samara.

Workers at Kazan Monastery discovered the wreck in the spring and contacted the archaeological team. They use ultrasound scanners and underwater drones to study wrecks 50m long, 20m wide, Fox News today reported.

The hundred-year-old wreck sank under the Volga River.(Photo: Fox News).

"Most of the ship is buried in sand, but the ultrasound image clearly shows the tail and the wooden bars. You can also see a large chain and many old ropes," the team said.

The scientists analyzed a piece of wood with carbon isotopic dating and concluded that the ship was manufactured around 1330-1500. This means it existed before the city of Samara was built in 1586. A nail picked up from the wreck had a 99.5% iron ratio, suggesting it was born in the Middle Ages.

The team is unclear whether this is a military or commercial vessel. The ship can be from Asia, Scandinavia or Western Europe.

In 2018, archaeologists found the tomb of an ancient prince in southern Siberia. In May of this year, a Russian farmer discovered a 2,000-year-old tomb containing the remains and antiques of royalty. This month, scientists also identified the mysterious one-legged remains at Smolensk by DNA analysis. The remains belonged to Charles-Etienne Gudin de la Sablonniere, the general under Napoleon Bonaparte, who died in 1812.

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