The people in yacht charter Turkey seem to be bent on rebuilding much of their past. As excavations for a new metro project was started, a medieval Byzantine boat was uncovered. Now, the University of Istanbul is planning a full build of an exact replica, which is to be called the Yenikapi 12.
In fact, there were 36 sunken ships uncovered by the dig which is aimed at creating a metro system in Istanbul, but only one of the boats will be replicated and then put to sea as the Yenikapi 12. The boat’s measurements are 9.64 meters in length and 2.6 meters wide and the people at the Istanbul University have already began drawing up the plans to rebuild the boat that they say will be launched in 2013.
Isil Kocabas is responsible for the University’s Cultural Artifacts Protection and Restoration Department and he said that along the 36 boats that were found in this dig started in 2004 there were thousands of other artifacts. He also added that this collection of sunken boats perfectly illustrates the technology of the mid-Byzantine Empire, a period that is not very well illustrated. This is why this find is that more valuable since the ships survived in very good condition.
The reconstruction process is said to start this summer and its final aim is to provide a look into the technology of that period. Professors also say that attempting to build this ship from scratch will offer them a look into how the Byzantines went about obtaining the materials and how they managed to put them together, how many people it took and the overall build time.
After being built, the Yenikapi 12 will be on display at the garden of the Istanbul Archeology Museum. For sailing enthusiasts this will more than likely be a wonderful experience into boating history, so make sure that next year you stop by Istanbul for a peek at the boat.
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