Shipwrecks - 37 well preserved Byzantine Empire shipwrecks uncovered in Turkey have given researchers a widow into how ancient shipbuilders constructed legendary vessels.
Archaeologists from the Istanbul Archaeological Museums initially unearthed the 37 shipwrecks in 2004 in Yenikapi, a district in Istanbul.
According to reports, about 8 of the shipwrecks, which date from the 5th Century to the late 10th Century, have been studied and the results were published online in the International Journal of Nautical Archaeology on Dec. 8. 2014.
"Never before have such a large number and types of well-preserved vessels been found at a single location," study co-author Dr. Cernal Pulak, associate professor at Texas A&M University's Institute of National Archaeology.
"Even more fascinating is the fact that we can now trace how ship construction and ship design changed over the course of nearly half a millennium."
The ships researchers unearthed include small fishing boats, small and mid-sized coaster and also a super larger ocean surfing merchantman.
The eight shipwrecks studied include two long ships, or naval galleys and six round ships. Researchers meticulously observed the makings of the ships including every nail hole and planking.
"It is through this type of meticulous and time-consuming detective work that eventually reveals how these ships were designed, built, modified, overhauled, and over time," Pulak said in a statement. "By such means we try to understand the minds of the shipbuilders and their design and conceptualization processes in order to better comprehend the history of science and engineering."
Archaeologists have discovered that ancient shipbuilders used a variety of designs for different vessels. However, two very distinct methods were employed. The conventional method of ship shell planking was first used. This was followed by the modern method of building the ship's skeleton. According to reports, this method was first used around the 5th and 11th centuries.
"In order words, what made Byzantium a maritime merchant and naval power was its utilization of many different types of vessels that differed in size and shape, and based in different design criteria as required for the specific task they were put to," Pulak said.
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