Archaeologists Investigate Patagonia Wreck as Turkey Reveals Older Ship

Two archaeological discoveries are expanding knowledge of maritime history, from a possible 19th-century shipwreck near Patagonia to a vessel dating back as much as 4,700 years off Turkey. Research published in October 2026 describes evidence of a temporary settlement on Isla de los Estados, Argentina, and an Early Bronze Age trading ship near Kekova Island in the Mediterranean.

The Patagonian discovery may be connected to Argentine sailor Luis Piedra Buena and his crew, whose vessel Espora sank in 1873. Meanwhile, researchers in Turkey have identified a substantially older wreck through its ceramic cargo, placing it among the oldest known shipwrecks in the world, according to reports by IFLScience, CNN and BBC News.

Researchers investigating Franklin Bay on Isla de los Estados found wooden ship structures and remains of a possible castaway camp. The team visited the area in January 2026 and recovered evidence that may connect the site to the Espora expedition, which had set out to hunt penguins for oil.

According to IFLScience, Piedra Buena recorded that the ship sank at Lacroix Inlet. The surviving crew reportedly built an improvised cutter from salvaged materials and eventually sailed to Punta Arenas, Chile.

The researchers described the settlement as a possible castaway camp, although its precise connection to the historical expedition remains unconfirmed.

"The location and material culture of the temporary occupation at Lacroix Inlet point to a connection between this site and the nearby shipwreck remains and thus, possibly with the Espora and her crew," the study's authors wrote, as quoted by IFLScience.

Three wooden structures recovered at the site once formed parts of a ship's hull. Investigators have not established whether all three belonged to the same vessel and say further examination is needed to determine their age, origin and function.

Nearby, the team identified evidence of a short-term human occupation beside a steep hillside. The objects included beads, buttons, a bottle, a deck prism and a rudder hinge, combining personal belongings with equipment associated with maritime activity.

The researchers characterized the site as a temporary settlement connected to a maritime disaster.

"attests to at least one naval accident that led to a temporary settlement" on Isla de los Estados during the 19th century, the researchers wrote, according to IFLScience.

Although the location and artifacts are consistent with the Espora account, investigators have not established the identity of the wrecked vessel or reconstructed the castaways' movements conclusively.

"The identity of the vessel/s and the castaways’ trajectories are the subject of ongoing inquiry," the researchers explained, according to IFLScience.

In the Mediterranean, archaeologists have identified a shipwreck near Kekova Island, off Antalya in southern Turkey, dating to approximately 4,400 to 4,700 years ago. The wreck lies about 30 meters underwater, according to BBC News, and its ceramic cargo has provided evidence of an early maritime trading voyage.

The ship's wooden structure has not survived, but divers recovered more than 30 ceramic storage vessels known as amphorae and three large stone anchors. Researchers determined the vessel's age by comparing the pottery's shape and decorative features with examples previously found in Egypt and the Middle East.

Hakan Öniz, a professor at Akdeniz University who led the expedition, told CNN that the discovery's dating was supported by several types of evidence.

"These resembled the amphorae in our shipwreck," Öniz told CNN, describing the similarities between the recovered pottery and vessels documented in earlier archaeological research.

The team subsequently consulted Australian archaeologist Karin Sowada, an expert on amphorae, and conducted additional analysis. Öniz said the evidence extended beyond the ceramic vessels themselves.

"It is not just the amphorae; the anchors and other artifacts found at the shipwreck site also point to the same centuries," Öniz said, according to CNN.

The pottery's design, including two handles, a central ridge and a flat base, resembles vessels associated with the Early Bronze Age. BBC News reported that the lack of surviving wood prevented researchers from using radiocarbon dating on the ship's structure.

Öniz emphasized the significance of the ceramic comparisons when discussing the vessel's age.

"Comparing the decoration techniques… we can definitely say our wreck is Early Bronze Age. This is 100%." Öniz said, according to BBC News.

The amphorae also offer clues about ancient trade networks. Turkey's culture and tourism minister, Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, said clay analyses indicate the vessels were likely manufactured in workshops in the Jordan Valley.

"Clay analyses indicate that the amphorae were likely produced in workshops in the Jordan Valley," Ersoy said in a statement cited by CNN.

Similar vessels have been found in Egypt, Troy and Crete, providing evidence of connections between communities across the eastern Mediterranean. Researchers believe the ship may have been transporting goods from the Levantine coast toward Troy or Crete when it sank.

Some of the recovered amphorae still contain a glossy, viscous residue, prompting researchers to investigate what the containers originally held. The vessels may have carried olive oil, wine or tree resins, although their contents have not yet been conclusively identified.

Sowada described her reaction after inspecting the pottery's surviving residue.

"I looked inside and nearly fainted. I could not believe how much [residue] was visible. It wasn't just like spots…. a lot of this material was still remaining," Sowada told BBC News.

The residue may also reflect the reuse of large storage jars rather than their original cargo. Researchers are examining the material to establish whether it can reveal more about the ship's commercial purpose and the practices of ancient merchants.

"It's possible that [the residue] could actually be the result of reuse of the jars. I mean, these jars are huge - they're not things that you just ship away and then never see again. People would have emptied these jars on arrival and potentially used them for many, many, many years." Sowada said, according to BBC News.

For the researchers, the discovery also provides evidence of the people who built, loaded and sailed the vessel, not just the goods they transported.

"The shipwreck is a time capsule at the bottom of the sea," Öniz said, according to BBC News.

The expedition's findings have prompted reflection on the human lives connected to the wreck, including the sailors and the people who produced and transported its cargo.

"We are the first humans who [have] touched these objects after 5,000 years." Öniz said, according to BBC News.

The surviving pottery is now undergoing conservation after thousands of years underwater. Researchers are continuing to examine the artifacts to determine their original contents and clarify the vessel's trading history.

Öniz also described the human consequences behind maritime discoveries of this kind.

"We are always thinking of the sailors... the producers of the amphora and the person who carried the amphora on their shoulders to the ship, and the women who were waiting for their husbands, and they unfortunately couldn't go back." Öniz said, according to BBC News.

The Turkish Ministry of Culture owns the Kekova wreck, and Mehmet Nuri Ersoy said the recovered artifacts would be displayed at the new Mediterranean Underwater Archaeology Museum in Antalya when it opens. Before this discovery, the oldest known shipwreck record was held by a vessel near Dokos, Greece, dating to approximately 4,200 years ago.