Four 19th Century Shipwrecks Discovered Near Israel

Four 19th-century warships have been found off the coast of Israel, which may point us to a lost Greek harbor from antiquity as well. The researchers, from the University of Rhode Island, found the warships by using sound waves to probe the ocean.

The researchers believe the ships, once part of an Egyptian fleet, sank during the Egyptian Ottoman war when Admiral Osman Nurredin Bey attempted to retake the city of Akko in 1831.

In the process of excavating in the area, the team also found the remains of a ship shed that was possibly used to bring in warships during the Hellenistic period. At the site, they found remnants of Hellenistic stonework, ancient pottery, mooring materials and a stone quay. These fragments suggest a much older, ancient Greek port may lie beneath the seafloor — along with even more ancient shipwrecks.

Read more about the discovery at LiveScience.