Commercial Boats

The typical commercial boats, the circular ships, had the prow and the stern in a circular shape, their hold spacy. The 7th century BC, they obtained big velums and helping oars, increasing thus their velocity, and they were equiped with anchor. The general shape remained the same, at following times. Furthermore, the typical commercial boats, were named "Olcades" and Aristoteles later, described them as "huge insects with tiny wings".

In 1967, somewhere in Cyprus, a shipwreck was found by a local diver, at 30 meters depth, carrying amphoras as a load. The University of Texas was responsible for the research of the shipwreck. The research and the salvage of the shipwreck, were taken up by the Naval Archaeology Department of the University of Texas with the participation of specialists from 12 countries. The American archaeologist and professor Michael Katzen, was set in charge of the bigger and most complete operation of salvage and assemblance ever realised for an ancient ship. With the help of another American scientist, professor Richard Steffy, every single piece was supported after their conservation. The project of the "Ancient Ship of Kyrenia" lasted until 1974. Kyrenia,as it was placed in the nothern part of Cyprus, was subjected to the attack and the the turkish bondage, which still continues to exist until today,and the ship was found captive in the city's castle. The researches, the pulling-up and the conservation of the shipwreck lasted for 8 years, and it was the most ancient ship ever found. It was revealed that it was a commercial ship of the 3rd century BC, and it was realising transportations at the islands, at the Near East coastline and at the Eastern Meditteranean.

It had 15 meters length, 4,5 meters with and it's velum was 11m. The main load of the ship was amphoras with wine from Rhodos, 29 burrstones from Nisyros and amphoras from Samos. The main characteristic of this ship was it's shipway. Instead of being constructed in a classical way, firstly the gear and after the husk, this one was constructed reversly; The gear was constructed after the husk.

The ancient 15-meter ship had been constructed in the end of the classical era. For unknown reason, the ship scuttled at around 303 BC. It is the most important finding for the study of the ancient greek shipbuilding.