18 September 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

Underwater excavations start at 1,700-year-old ancient Black Sea port Kerpe

The traces of the ancient harbor on the Black Sea coast of Kerpe, in Kocaeli’s Kandıra district, are being brought to light again.

Underwater excavations have begun to excavate the historic port, which is located on the Kerpe shore of Kocaeli, on the Black Sea coast, and operated as an important trade route from the ancient through the Ottoman periods.

The 1,700-year-old port in the bay was built by the colonists of the Megara settlement, which was originally based in modern-day Greece and offered access to Black Sea commerce routes as well as a vital site for a military presence.

In this context, the Kocaeli Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism and the Kocaeli Museum Directorate began underwater excavations at the Ancient Kerpe Harbor and underwater research on the Black Sea coast of Kocaeli with the approval of the General Directorate of Cultural Heritage and Museums of the Republic of Turkey Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

Divers work to mark areas for excavations in the ancient Kerpe Harbor on the Black Sea coast in Kocaeli's Kandıra district, Turkey. (Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism via AA)
Divers work to mark areas for excavations in the ancient Kerpe Harbor on the Black Sea coast in Kocaeli’s Kandıra district, Turkey. (Provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism via AA)

In addition, Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality, Kandıra Municipality, Düzce University Underwater Application, and Research Center, Watsan Elektrik, and Kerpe Sea Stars Diving School are also participating in the excavations.

Researchers think that beneath the depths of Kerpe Harbor, once part of important settlements during both the Roman and Byzantine eras, a plethora of historically significant artifacts and ruins await discovery.

Researchers hope the excavations will lead to the discovery of cultural assets in the region. Along with artifacts, the team hopes to also determine the Black Sea trade route used by the Ottoman Empire and uncover information regarding regions that once hosted intense trade activity.

Related Articles

Archaeologists Uncover Roman London’s First Basilica Beneath an Office Basement

13 February 2025

13 February 2025

Archaeologists have made a groundbreaking discovery beneath an office building in London, unearthing a substantial section of the ancient city’s...

Archaeological settlements dating back 3000 years found in Qurayat, Oman

2 October 2022

2 October 2022

Archaeological research in Oman’s Qurayat Province has revealed numerous archaeological and historical settlements, some dating back more than 3,000 years...

2.3-meter sword found in 4th-century tomb in Japan

27 January 2023

27 January 2023

The largest bronze mirror and the largest “dako” iron sword in Japan were discovered at the Tomio Maruyama burial mound...

An Ancient Site Found in UAE may be Sixth-Century Lost City of Tu’am

18 June 2024

18 June 2024

Ruins from the sixth century have been discovered during excavations in the United Arab Emirates Umm Al Quwain region, which...

A previously unknown subterranean tract of an Augustan-era aqueduct has been rediscovered in Naples

4 February 2023

4 February 2023

A previously unknown subterranean tract nearly half a mile long of an Augustan-era aqueduct has been rediscovered in Naples, southern...

Evidence of Medieval Plague Victims Buried With “Significant Care” Found

23 June 2021

23 June 2021

The Black Death, which killed between 40 and 60% of Europe’s population in the mid-14th century, was a devastating epidemic...

3D Scans reveal details of ‘unusual’ Roman burial ritual

6 June 2023

6 June 2023

Archaeologists at the University of York, have used 3D scans to study the Roman burial practice of pouring liquid gypsum...

3 Bronze Shields and Helmet of 2700 Years Old Belonging to Urartians Found in Ayanis Castle

8 September 2024

8 September 2024

Three bronze shields and a bronze helmet dedicated to Haldi, the chief god of the Urartians, were discovered during excavations...

Researchers believe mass immigration to Orkney during the Bronze Age was mostly led by women

8 February 2022

8 February 2022

Researchers believe mass immigration to Orkney during the Bronze Age was mostly led by women.  Mass migration to Orkney during...

A Gold Mourning Ring Found on The Isle of Man

21 April 2021

21 April 2021

The ring found with a metal detector on the Isle of Man in December 2020 will be exhibited in the...

Iran wants UNESCO recognition for 56 of its historic caravansaries

10 October 2021

10 October 2021

Iran wants 56 Caravanserais from various periods, from the Sassanids (224 CE-651) to the Qajar period (1789-1925), to be included...

Over 20 terracotta warriors have been discovered in the Terracotta Army pit in China

24 January 2022

24 January 2022

More than 20 Terracotta Warriors were unearthed from the Terracotta Army pit in Xi’an, northwest China’s Shaanxi province, according to...

5000-year-old female figurines found in a Ukrainian cave

15 May 2023

15 May 2023

Archaeologists discovered five clay female figurines hidden inside a hole in a wall in Verteba Cave, in the Borshchiv Region...

2,000-Year-Old Dancing Man Statuette Unearthed in Siberia

6 May 2021

6 May 2021

During excavations for a new bridge over the Ob River in Novosibirsk, Russia’s third-largest district, a ten-centimeter-tall figurine was discovered....

What If Ancient Statues Smelled Wonderful? The Surprising Secrets of Greco-Roman Sculptures

16 March 2025

16 March 2025

A new study published in the Oxford Journal of Archaeology has shed light on an often-overlooked aspect of ancient Greek...