The 'dead zone' holds the wreck intact for thousands of years under the Black Sea

The oxygen-free area under the Black Sea helps preserve 60 wrecks so perfectly that it can be clearly seen on wooden frames.

The wreck of the Otto merchant ship under the Dead Sea.(Photo: Sun).

Scientists call the Black Sea anaerobic zone a "dead zone" , where 60 wrecks dating from the Alexander Great to the 19th century are not destroyed by time. The oldest intact wreck of the ship was a Greek merchant ship discovered at a depth of 2km in 2017. The ship was born in 400 BC, more than 2,400 years ago.

Wood on some wrecks is preserved so well that it is possible to clearly see each touch line and chisel trace. Normally, wood and rope are the first materials to fall under the effects of seawater and bacteria.

The international team led by Professor Jon Adams of the Black Sea Maritime Archaeological Project (MAP) found the dead zone 150 - 2,200m away from the Black Sea surface when mapping the seabed with sound waves and means. Remote control (ROV). Scientists said the reason for such well-preserved ships is due to the unusual chemical composition of the Black Sea.

According to Professor Adams, when the last Ice Age ended about 12,000 years ago, the Black Sea was then Black Lake. Due to rising temperatures and rising sea levels, Mediterranean seawater began to spill rivers flowing into the Black Sea. This causes both salt water and fresh water to flow into the sea, forming two layers of water. The upper layer contains less salt than is rich in oxygen while the lower layer does not contain oxygen. That's why ships are still intact throughout the millennium.

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