A ship found far off Israel’s coast could shed light on the navigation skills of ancient mariners

By MELANIE LIDMAN
Associated Press

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — The Israel Antiquities Authority says a company drilling for natural gas off the coast of northern Israel has discovered a 3,300-year-old ship and its cargo, one of the oldest known examples of a ship sailing far from land. The IAA said Thursday 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 gas company, Energean, was scouring the sea-floor when it found the fully intact ship buried in mud beneath hundreds of jugs.