Underwater explorers investigating the ancient port of Phanagoria, a Greek settlement located along Russia’s Black Sea shoreline, uncovered the wooden remains of a vessel buried beneath over 1.5 meters (5 feet) of sediment. Initial assessments considered it to be a later commercial ship.
After further excavation approximately 1.5 meters from the prow, researchers discovered a bronze ramming prow roughly one meter (3 feet) in length. This artifact bore a crescent moon and a star with five points, symbols identifying the royal insignia of Mithridates VI Eupator, the Pontic king known for his enduring opposition to the Roman Republic.
Located in present-day Taman Bay adjacent to Phanagoria’s main harbor, radiocarbon testing dated the wood to the mid-1st century BC. The findings suggest the ship was a swift war vessel from Mithridates’ naval forces and represent the oldest military shipwreck discovered within Russian maritime boundaries.
Detailed lab analyses of the hull reveal meticulous craftsmanship and maintenance. Moscow’s prestigious Kurchatov Institute examined the vessel’s metal components, identifying the ship’s nails as composed of copper and related alloys.
Remarkably, a feather, likely originating from a crane, was also recovered inside the hull.
Shipwreck Dates to 63 BC Uprising
The shipwreck spans nearly 16 meters (52 feet) in length and 2.7 meters (9 feet) in beam, with the port side well-preserved up to the rail. Its elongated form along with the presence of the ram indicate its military purpose.
Contemporary research characterizes the vessel as a unireme, distinguished by a single row of oars capable of swift rowing and sailing. Although initially deemed a bireme by the 2014 discovery team—implying two layers of oars—the latest findings no longer favor this classification.
The vessel’s demise at the city’s principal pier hints at tumultuous circumstances. The Roman historian Appian recounts a revolt in Phanagoria in 63 BC, where Mithridates’ heirs were seized and a fleet was dispatched from Panticapaeum, his capital, attempting their rescue. Scholars believe this warship sank amid that conflict.
When the ram was unveiled in 2014, the expedition’s backer, the Volnoe Delo Foundation, suggested the rebels set the ship ablaze. Expedition leader Vladimir Kuznetsov noted, “Phanagoria yields its mysteries incrementally.”
Hull Lined with Clay Mixed with Wool and Feathers
A recent investigation conducted by E. A. Greshnikov at the Kurchatov Institute determined that the vessel’s interior surfaces were coated in layers of clay ranging from 1 to 2 centimeters thick, thickening to 5 centimeters (2 inches) near the keel. Embedded in the clay were various animal hairs (sheep, horses, goats), fragments of hide, pork fat, and the aforementioned feather.
The seams between planks were initially filled with tarred wool bundles, overlaid by the clay to secure and waterproof the structure. Ancient sources like Vitruvius and Vegetius document the use of clay infused with hair as a fire-resistant compound. The team posits this mixture protected the warship against accidental fires or incendiary projectiles during battle.
The exterior hull was coated with a distinct formula. Analysis exposed traces of realgar, an arsenic sulfide mineral, blended with beeswax and pine resin. This sulfurous mixture likely impeded the settlement of marine organisms like mollusks and defended the timber against shipworms that bore into submerged wood.
Wood repairs included various types of trees, some from Mediterranean origins. The researchers conclude that the Pontic kingdom was capable of sustaining its naval fleet effectively over many years.
Metal Components Offer Insight Into Naval Craftsmanship
The latest results, appearing in the Russian publication Rossiiskie Nanotekhnologii, focus on the metallurgy. The Kurchatov team, working alongside Olkhovskiy and colleagues from the Phanagoria museum-reserve, applied electron microscopy, X-ray imaging, and neutron activation analysis to study the nails, a small metallic plate, and the bronze ram.
Findings reveal the nails comprise copper and copper-based alloys, the plate is made of lead, and the ram is fashioned from lead-tin bronze, as summarized in the study abstract. The authors assert that the Bosporan navy employed diverse materials and advanced techniques to ensure their vessels remained seaworthy over extended periods.
Copper nails offer superior resistance to saltwater corrosion compared to iron. Coupled with the fire-resistant inner coating and antibacterial outer layer, these elements demonstrate a ship engineered and preserved for prolonged, intense use.
Phanagoria also preserves a poignant reminder of the king’s family. In 2006, the excavation unearthed a marble tombstone inscribed to "Hypsikrates, wife of Mithridates VI," a masculine form referencing Hypsikratia, whom Plutarch described as bearing a male name due to her valiant, warrior-like spirit.
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