Divers Plan to Recover 3,000-Year-Old, Hand-Sewn Ship in the Mediterranean Sea Next Month
Known as the "Zambratija," the vessel is the oldest known example of a fully sewn boat, dating back to “a period between the last quarter of the 12th century B.C."
Philippe Groscaux/Mission Adriboats/CNRS/CCJ
Zambratija VesselDivers are hoping to recover a 3,000-year-old, hand-sewn ship from the floor of the Mediterranean Sea early next month.
Known as the Zambratija, the vessel is the oldest known example of a fully sewn boat, dating back to “a period between the last quarter of the 12th century B.C.,” according to the Camille Jullian Center, a Croatian research organization involved in the project alongside the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS).
The expedition, set for July 2, will aim to recover pieces of the ship so that scientists, including workers at the Archaeological Museum of Istria, in Pula, Croatia, can reconstruct the vessel for a 3D display, Newsweek reported.
Currently resting about 8 feet underwater in the Bay of Zambratija off the coast of Croatia, divers and researchers are encouraged about their efforts to bring remnants of the once-32-foot-long ship back to land, as it’s been remarkably preserved underwater for thousands of years due to its waterproofing system, the CNRS said.
Philippe Groscaux/Mission Adriboats/CNRS/CCJ
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"Its architecture and its construction, the assembly technique of the strakes, as well as the waterproofing system of the hull, have no equivalent in the Mediterranean area,” the Camille Jullian Center said.
Researchers believe about 23 feet of the ship, which was made from flexible pieces of wood that were sewn together, remains intact.
The shipwreck was first explored about 15 years ago, and increased attention has been paid to the historic site in recent years, according to IFLScience.com.
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Due to its delicate nature, the remnants of the ship will be desalinated in Croatia and then passed along to the Arc-Nucléart workshop in France, which specializes in restoring cultural artifacts, per IFLScience.
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