29 October 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

A 3,600-Year-Old Bronze Minoan Dagger Discovered in Antalya Underwater Excavation

A bronze dagger with silver rivets that dates to the Minoan civilization approximately 3,600 years ago was discovered during an underwater excavation off the coast of Kumluca, Antalya.

Work on the vessel, which sank in ancient Lycia, began in July and August 2019 with the permission of Turkey Ministry of Culture and Tourism, under the chairmanship of the Antalya Museum Directorate.

Under the leadership of Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hakan Öniz from Akdeniz University, the sunken ship carrying copper pillow ingots, previously thought to have been extracted from the Troodos Mountains, was found 50 meters deep in the sea during excavations off the Kumluca district of Antalya. The findings suggest the ship was en route to Crete when it sank.

Photo: Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Türkiye

Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy shared the images of the wreck and the dagger on his social media account and said, ‘A 3,600-year-old secret from the depths of the Mediterranean Sea has come to light. A bronze dagger with silver rivets belonging to the Minos civilization was found during underwater excavations off the coast of the Kumluca district of Antalya. This wreck may be one of the most important discoveries not only in Turkey but also in the world of underwater archaeology,’ he said.

He expressed gratitude to the Akdeniz University and the Directorate of Excavations and Research for their meticulous work in revealing the ancient artifact.



📣 Our WhatsApp channel is now LIVE! Stay up-to-date with the latest news and updates, just click here to follow us on WhatsApp and never miss a thing!!



Photo: Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Türkiye

The archaeological studies conducted in 2019 on the Bronze Age shipwreck in Antalya Kumluca focused on in situ documentation, with a small number of samples excavated with the permission of Türkiye’s Ministry of Culture to gain more information about the wreck. In the studies, the latest technology and current methods were applied and the margin of error was minimized. The works on this important shipwreck will be pursued in the following 5 years.

Cover Image: Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Türkiye

Related Articles

A 2,100-Year-Old Marble Statue of Mother Goddess Cybele Discovered in Ordu’s Ancient Kurul Castle

7 March 2025

7 March 2025

A breathtaking statue of the Mother Goddess Cybele, dating back 2100 years, was found at the historic Kurul Castle in...

Archaeologists Uncover Sak-Bahlán: The Lost “Land of the White Jaguar,” Last Stronghold of Rebel Maya in Chiapas

31 July 2025

31 July 2025

Deep in the rainforest of Chiapas, Mexico, archaeologists believe they have uncovered the lost city of Sak-Bahlán, known as the...

A unique 2,800-year-old ivory-decorated piece was discovered in the Ancient City of Hattusa

13 November 2023

13 November 2023

An ivory-decorated piece, estimated to be approximately 2,800 years old, was found during the archaeological excavation in the Hattusa Ancient...

Thousand-year-old bone skate discovered in Czech Republic

20 March 2024

20 March 2024

Archaeologists from the central Moravian city of Přerov, Czech Republic have announced a unique discovery. While carrying out excavations in...

Unique ‘Excalibur’ Sword Found Upright in Ground Unearthed in Spain Holds Islamic Origins

26 April 2024

26 April 2024

Researchers have finally unraveled the mysteries of the historical sword discovered in Spain 30 years ago, which they named ‘Excalibur’...

A Neolithic Ornate Necklace with Over 2,500 Stones found in a Child’s Grave

3 August 2023

3 August 2023

An ornate necklace found in a child’s grave in ancient Jordan about 9,000 years ago provides new insights into the...

Petalodus shark teeth found for the first time in China

29 August 2021

29 August 2021

A 290 million-year-old fossil of a shark with petal-shaped teeth has been discovered in China. Seven well-preserved Petalodus teeth were...

2,500-Year-Old Phoenician Shipwreck Being Rescued By Spanish Archaeologists

6 July 2023

6 July 2023

A 2,500-year-old Phoenician shipwreck has been found underwater in the southeastern Spanish region of Murcia. An extraordinary Phoenician shipwreck dating...

Young Maya Maize God’s Severed Head found in Palenque

4 June 2022

4 June 2022

Archaeologists from the Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia (INAH), an approximately 1,300-year-old sculpture of the head of the Young...

The sword, thought to be a replica, turned out to be an authentic 3000-year-old Bronze Age sword

22 January 2023

22 January 2023

A sword in Chicago’s Field Museum that was previously thought to be a replica has been revealed to be an...

Archaeologists uncovered over 100,000 ancient coins, some more than 2,000 years old

4 November 2023

4 November 2023 8

In an excavation at the Sosha Village East 03 archaeological site in Maebashi City, Japan, archaeologists stumbled upon a remarkable...

Astonishing Find in the Czech Republic: Hikers Discover a 3.7 Kilogram Serbian/Bosnian Gold Treasure

29 April 2025

29 April 2025

A leisurely hike on the slopes of Zvičina Hill in the Czech Republic turned into an extraordinary discovery for two...

Denisovans or Homo Sapiens: Who Were the First to Settle Permanently on the Tibetan Plateau?

8 December 2021

8 December 2021

The Tibetan Plateau has long been considered one of the last places to be populated by people in their migration...

300-Year-Old Sacred Mummified Mermaid From Japan’s Mystery Solved

20 February 2023

20 February 2023

A mummified mermaid has been worshiped in Japan for centuries because locals believe it has healing powers. However, upon closer...

Archaeologists have unearthed a flawless Roman blue glass bowl in the Dutch city of Nijmegen

23 January 2022

23 January 2022

Archaeologists excavating the site of a comprehensive housing and green space development in Nijmegen’s Winkelsteeg, one of the oldest cities...