Work on Marmaray wrecks approaching end

The conservation process of 37 sunken ships discovered during the Istanbul Marmaray excavations and removed from the area over eight years is nearing completion. The unearthed ships are set to be displayed when the works are completed by the end of this year.

Istanbul University Associate Professor Ufuk Kocaba?, who is the head of the Yenikap? Wreckage Project, said the wrecks were removed from the land between 2005 and 2013, and the team focused on their documentation, conservation, restoration and analysis.

Kocaba? said that the structures in the Theodosius Port, one of the most important ports around Istanbul in the Middle Ages, as well as tens of thousands of archaeological works and the world's largest Middle Ages boat collection, were unearthed thanks to the excavations.

The oldest uncovered ship dates back 1,500 years and its restoration could take years.

Kocaba? said his team was planning to rebuild another wreck, called the Yenikap? 12.

"The Yenikap? 12 wreck, which dates back to 9th century A.D., is a trade ship and in a very good condition. The nearly 10-meter-long ship is thought to have served coastal trade and sank in the Thedosius Port because of a severe storm. The remake of the ship will draw attention to the rich maritime culture of the city. This is a very detailed process with many technical procedures. The ship was discovered in 2007 and we are now about to finish its conservation," Kocaba? said.

He said the ship was cleaned of its salt between 2007 and 2009 for its preservation.

"Salt can react to the chemical substance used for conversation and cause deterioration. As a result of detailed analysis on the wooden pieces of the ship, we have reached new information about many...