The Yenikapı 12 Shipwreck, a 9th-Century Merchantman from the Theodosian Harbour in Istanbul, Turkey: construction and reconstruction

Abstract

Shipwreck Yenikapı 12 was discovered in Yenikapı, Istanbul, Turkey in 2007 during rescue excavations carried out by Istanbul Archaeological Museums. The majority of the bottom of the shipwreck, found within the sediment-filled Theodosian Harbour, is intact and part of the cargo was found in situ. According to the results of reconstruction studies, YK12 was a small merchantman working coastal waters, approximately 9.24m in length and 2.64m in breadth. The shipwreck is dated to the 9th century AD and was built with a mixed construction using the shell-based method for the lower hull. Sample ID Timber type 14C age years BP Calibrated Probability Note OxA-23836 Floor-timber (Fr 11) 1246 ± 25 BP cal AD 681-870 95.4% Quercus sp OxA-23837 Plank (PS7-2) 1233 ± 24 BP cal AD 690-876 cal AD 762-876 95.4% 60.1% Castanea sativa OxA-23838 Central keel timber (keel 3) 1258 ± 25 BP cal AD 672-859 cal AD 672-818 95.4% 93.4% Fagus orientalis L.

Maʻagan Mikhael B, Israel: a preliminary report of a Late Byzantine–Early Islamic period shipwreck

“…These planks are about 36mm thick; thicker than the planks of bulkheads in YK 11 (18–21mm) (Ingram, : 127–129). Bulkhead timbers were also found in YK 3, YK 12, YK 14, YK 20, YK 21, YK 29, YK 30 and YK 31: some of these shipwrecks have been thoroughly studied, while others are still being investigated (Kocabaş, : 19, 21; Güler, ; Jones, : 265; Ӧzsait‐Kocabaş, : 13). Moreover, part of the bulkhead base was found in Tantura E (Israeli and Kahanov, : 377–378).…”

“…The eastern endpost is composed of two timbers connected by an elaborate scarf that resembles the trait de Jupiter (complex keyed hook scarf) (Fig. a–b), an example of which was found in the Roman period Grado shipwreck (Beltrame and Gaddi, : 138), the Tantura F shipwreck (Barkai and Kahanov, : 8), and Yenikapı 12 (Ӧzsait‐Kocabaş, : 360). Traces of iron concretion show that the scarf was also fastened by iron nails.…”

Bir Bizans Teknesinin Anatomisi: Yenikapı 8 Batığı

“…YK8 kenar-kavelalı ve kestane ağacından kaplamaları, tam döşekli eğri paterni, dümdüz tabanlı gövdesi ve aşozsuz omurgası ile İstanbul Üniversitesi'nin çalıştığı batıklar arasında YK6, YK7, YK9 ile yakın konstrüksiyon özellikleri taşımaktadır. 12 Bu batıklar, YK12 ve YK20 ile birlikte Karadeniz ve Marmara çevresine özgü yöresel tekne grubu olarak değerlendirilmiştir. 13 Geniş yapılı gövdesi ve daha kalın eğrileri ile bu batıklardan boyut olarak ayrılsa da, YK8'in aynı grupta yer alması önerilmektedir.…”

Delivering the Deep: Maritime archaeology for the 21st century: selected papers from IKUWA 7

“…Jones , 2017Pulak et al 2015;Pulak 2018) and the 27 shipwrecks studied by a team from Istanbul University (e.g. Kocabaş 2008Kocabaş , 2015Turkmenoğlu 2017;Özsait-Kocabaş 2018Özsait-Kocabaş , 2022.…”