An underwater excavation at Kekova island on the Mediterranean coast of Turkey has uncovered amphorae between 4,400 to 4,700 years old, dating back to the Early Bronze Age. Maritime archaeologists believe this is the surviving cargo of the world’s oldest shipwreck.

The wooden ship has not survived in the warm waters of the Mediterranean, but 30 of the large storage containers that held its cargo have. Some of them still contain traces of what was inside of them. The pattern of spread indicates the ship was about 10 meters (33 feet) long. Three stone anchors were also found.

Analysis of the clay in the amphorae revealed that they were manufactured in the Jordan Valley. Comparable examples have been found in Egypt, Troy and Crete, artifacts of the impressive range of the trade networks in the eastern Mediterranean.

One of the amphorae is notable for its design. The vessel has nine markings and two holes on its body. Archaeologists hypothesize that it may have been used to make cheese or churn butter. If that’s true, it suggests sailors may have made food on board ship, not just transported the finished consumer goods.

Dr Karin Sowada, an archaeologist from Macquarie University, Australia, examined the amphorae after they were recovered. Some were intact and she was surprised to see they still contained a viscous, glossy residue.

“I looked inside and nearly fainted. I could not believe how much [residue] was visible. It wasn’t just like spots…. a lot of this material was still remaining,” she said.

The team is now working to find out exactly what was being carried in the amphorae.

“It could be olive oil, it could be wine, it could be tree resins,” Sowada said.

“It’s possible that [the residue] could actually be the result of reuse of the jars. I mean, these jars are huge – they’re not things that you just ship away and then never see again. People would have emptied these jars on arrival and potentially used them for many, many, many years.”

The artifacts that have been recovered from the wreck site are now being studies and conserved. They will eventually be put on display at the new Mediterranean Underwater Archaeology Museum in Antalya which is scheduled to open to the public over the next few months.