Sinop D
Encyclopedia
Sinop D is an ancient Black Sea shipwreck
located to the east of Sinop, Turkey
. The ship was discovered by a team led by Robert Ballard
in 2000. The team discovered the well-preserved wreck at a 320m depth, in the Black Sea
's deep anoxic waters. The vessel's entire hull
and cargo are intact, buried in sediments. Its deck structures are also intact, including a mast
rising some 11 m into the water column. Radiocarbon dating of wood from the wreck provides a date of 410-520 AD.
indicated by terrestrial archaeological remains.
The wreck found provided the team with vast information about both the technological changes and trade that occurred in the Black Sea during a period of political, social and economic transition through their study of the ship’s construction techniques. Studies show that long-distance trading had developed in Sinop as early as 4500 BC. Sea-trading on the Black Sea was most intense during the period of late antiquity
, between the 2nd and 7th centuries AD. Sinop D provides direct evidence for Black Sea maritime trade so well attested by the distribution of ceramics on land.
Sinop D provided Ballard and his team with an unprecedented opportunity to document hull construction during a time of transition. When observing the sonar signature of Sinop D, a long, slender upright feature on the sea-bed, transformed itself into a wooden mast. Elements rarely present on shallower shipwreck sites are beautifully preserved 200m below the surface. There are currently few indications of how the planks of Sinop D are held together as the bulk of the ship remain buried in sediments. There are no mortise and tenon
fastenings, and no sewing. Sinop D was originally thought to be one of the earliest lateen
-rigged ships available to be studied by archaeologists. However, a 2007 expedition to the site identified what is now believed to be a mast for an artemon
which would suggest a different type of vessel. New technology is currently in development that will allow more thorough and preservative excavations to take place.
Ancient Black Sea shipwrecks
Ancient Black Sea shipwrecks is the study of shipwrecks found in the Black Sea which date to Antiquity. In 1976, Willard Bascom suggested that the deep, anoxic waters of the Black Sea might have preserved ships from antiquity because typical wood-devouring organisms could not survive there...
located to the east of Sinop, Turkey
Sinop, Turkey
Sinop is a city with a population of 36,734 on İnce Burun , by its Cape Sinop which is situated on the most northern edge of the Turkish side of Black Sea coast, in the ancient region of Paphlagonia, in modern-day northern Turkey, historically known as Sinope...
. The ship was discovered by a team led by Robert Ballard
Robert Ballard
Robert Duane Ballard is a former United States Navy officer and a professor of oceanography at the University of Rhode Island who is most noted for his work in underwater archaeology. He is most famous for the discoveries of the wrecks of the RMS Titanic in 1985, the battleship Bismarck in 1989,...
in 2000. The team discovered the well-preserved wreck at a 320m depth, in the Black Sea
Black Sea
The Black Sea is bounded by Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus and is ultimately connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean and the Aegean seas and various straits. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Sea of Marmara, and the strait of the Dardanelles connects that sea to the Aegean...
's deep anoxic waters. The vessel's entire hull
Hull (watercraft)
A hull is the watertight body of a ship or boat. Above the hull is the superstructure and/or deckhouse, where present. The line where the hull meets the water surface is called the waterline.The structure of the hull varies depending on the vessel type...
and cargo are intact, buried in sediments. Its deck structures are also intact, including a mast
Mast (sailing)
The mast of a sailing vessel is a tall, vertical, or near vertical, spar, or arrangement of spars, which supports the sails. Large ships have several masts, with the size and configuration depending on the style of ship...
rising some 11 m into the water column. Radiocarbon dating of wood from the wreck provides a date of 410-520 AD.
Excavations
In 2000, Ballard and his team conducted an expedition that focused on the exploration of the sea bed about 15-30km west of Sinop, and an additional deep-water survey east and north of the peninsula. Their project had several goals. They sought to discover whether human habitation sites could be identified on the ancient submerged landscape, they examined the sea-bed for shipwrecks (where they found Sinop A-D), to test the hypothesis that the anoxic waters below 200m would protect shipwrecks from the expected biological attacks on organic components, and to seek data about an ancient trade route between Sinop and the CrimeaCrimea
Crimea , or the Autonomous Republic of Crimea , is a sub-national unit, an autonomous republic, of Ukraine. It is located on the northern coast of the Black Sea, occupying a peninsula of the same name...
indicated by terrestrial archaeological remains.
The wreck found provided the team with vast information about both the technological changes and trade that occurred in the Black Sea during a period of political, social and economic transition through their study of the ship’s construction techniques. Studies show that long-distance trading had developed in Sinop as early as 4500 BC. Sea-trading on the Black Sea was most intense during the period of late antiquity
Late Antiquity
Late Antiquity is a periodization used by historians to describe the time of transition from Classical Antiquity to the Middle Ages, in both mainland Europe and the Mediterranean world. Precise boundaries for the period are a matter of debate, but noted historian of the period Peter Brown proposed...
, between the 2nd and 7th centuries AD. Sinop D provides direct evidence for Black Sea maritime trade so well attested by the distribution of ceramics on land.
Sinop D provided Ballard and his team with an unprecedented opportunity to document hull construction during a time of transition. When observing the sonar signature of Sinop D, a long, slender upright feature on the sea-bed, transformed itself into a wooden mast. Elements rarely present on shallower shipwreck sites are beautifully preserved 200m below the surface. There are currently few indications of how the planks of Sinop D are held together as the bulk of the ship remain buried in sediments. There are no mortise and tenon
Mortise and tenon
The mortise and tenon joint has been used for thousands of years by woodworkers around the world to join pieces of wood, mainly when the adjoining pieces connect at an angle of 90°. In its basic form it is both simple and strong. Although there are many joint variations, the basic mortise and tenon...
fastenings, and no sewing. Sinop D was originally thought to be one of the earliest lateen
Lateen
A lateen or latin-rig is a triangular sail set on a long yard mounted at an angle on the mast, and running in a fore-and-aft direction....
-rigged ships available to be studied by archaeologists. However, a 2007 expedition to the site identified what is now believed to be a mast for an artemon
Headsail
A headsail of a sailing vessel is any sail set forward of the foremost mast. The most common headsails are staysails, a term that includes jibs and the larger genoa...
which would suggest a different type of vessel. New technology is currently in development that will allow more thorough and preservative excavations to take place.