Ship found off Israeli coast could shed light on ancient navigation skills

Jacob Sharvit, left, and Dr Karnit Bahartan examine the ancient jars that were carried on the world’s oldest known deep-sea ship (Emil Aladjem/Israel Antiquities Authority via AP)

A company drilling for natural gas off the coast of northern Israel discovered a 3,300-year-old ship and its cargo – one of the oldest known examples of a ship sailing far from land, the Israel Antiquities Authority said.

The discovery of the late Bronze Age ship so far out at sea indicates that the navigation abilities of ancient seafarers were more advanced than previously thought because they could travel without a line of sight to land, the IAA said.