Shipwreck Mazotou

Shipwreck Mazotou is one of the most well-known shipwrecks of east Mediterranean and it is located in Larnaca province of Cyprus, 2.5 kilometers off Mazotou.

Stranded on the sandy seabed of the sea south of the island at 45 meters depth, Mazotos shipwreck was located in 2006 and is was a merchant ship of the late classical period (4th century BC). It is the first shipwreck of the late classical period (4 th century BC) that transported amphorae from Chios and was found in the Mediterranean at a depth that divers can work. Since 2010 three excavations have taken place at the spot which brought to light important findings like part of the wooden hull of the ship, 500 urns containing red wine, vessels for serving and a lot of olive residue, which may be part of the supply to feed the crew. Travelling in the antiquity was risky and unpredictable and the diet of sailors was mainly based on dry food and fruits.

Among the amphorae from Chios few were detected that were from other islands of the north Aegean like Samos or one amphora from Kos which was probably part of the crew’s supplies as it was found outside the main cargo of the ship.

What scientists cannot conclude yet is the route of the ship, where it was going. If the ship was sailing to Cyprus it probably sunk before it unloaded its cargo. Most possible destinations to the east are ancient Kiti, today’s Larnaca, and Salamina while to the west Amathounta, today’s Limassol, or Paphos. If the final destination was Middle East or Egypt, Cyprus would have been an intermediate stop in order to get supplies.

The biodiversity of shipwreck Mazotou is also very interesting as the wreck created an artificial reef that attracts sea life.

All the archaeological finds are in the Archaeological Museum of Larnaca where the Department of Antiquities maintains them while the sea area two hundred meters around the Mazotos shipwreck has been declared a protected zone.