A ship lost at sea for thousands of years has accidentally discovered its priceless historical cargo.
The cargo was discovered about 2,000 metres beneath the ocean floor off the northern coast of Israel.
Hundreds of intact treasures known as amphorae have been recovered from the wreck, some of which are thought to be an astounding 3,300 years old.
Experts from the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) said the find suggested that sailors thousands of years ago could navigate the seas by using the sun and stars to orient themselves.
“The ship appears to have sunk during either a storm or an attempted pirate attack, a common occurrence in the Late Bronze Age,” Jacob Sharvit, head of the Israel Antiquities Authority’s maritime department, said on social media.
“This is the first ship ever to be discovered in the deep waters of the eastern Mediterranean, 90 kilometres from the nearest coast, and also the oldest.”
He continued: “This is a world-class, history-changing discovery.
“This discovery sheds unprecedented light on the navigational skills of ancient sailors who were able to cross the Mediterranean without a clear view of the coast. From this geographical point, all you can see is the horizon.”
For years now, cargoes have been lost at sea.
It was only after routine oil and gas surveys were carried out by Energian that the Bronze Age cargo was discovered.
The cargo was captured by the company’s latest robotic submersible.
Before finding the bottle, they were originally searching for potential new energy sources off the coast of Israel.
Only two other loaded shipwrecks from the Late Bronze Age are known in the Mediterranean.
However, unlike the accidental discoveries from submersibles, the other two wrecks were discovered using conventional diving equipment.
Dr Karnit Bahartan from Energean recalled the moment the amazing discovery was made: “We came across an unusual sight: a huge mountain of water jugs piled up on the seabed.
“We have been in constant contact with the Israel Antiquities Authority and when we sent them the images, it turned out to be a sensational find, far beyond our imagination.”
The newly discovered artifacts will be put on display at the Israel National Archaeological Campus in Jerusalem this summer.
Eli Esksheed, director of the Israel Antiquities Authority, said: “The importance of these discoveries led to the decision to put these Canaanite ships, excavated from the seabed, on display and to tell the story of these ships to the public.”
“We are extremely grateful to Energiaan for their agile response in identifying this ancient cargo and for providing the resources that have enabled this initial understanding to be gained from this unusual shipwreck.”
Famous shipwrecks you can see in person
GOOGLE MAPS has information about shipwrecks, so check out the locations of the most dangerous shipwrecks you can find online.
The location of the Titanic wreck can be found by entering the coordinates 41.7325° N, 49.9469° W into Google Earth.
The famous SS Maheno can be found on Google Earth by searching Fraser Island, Australia.
If you search the site of a horrific nuclear disaster, the eerie scenery of Chernobyl’s port comes into sharp focus.
If you search along the River Thames in London you will find many sunken ships.
Search the Iraqi coast of the Shatt al-Arab River on Google Maps and travel to the Garden of Eden shipwreck.
Or head to South Manitou Island in Lake Michigan to see the SS Francisco Morazan.