Kyrenia ship

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The Kyrenia ship
The Kyrenia ship

The Kyrenia ship is the wreck of a 4th-century Greek merchant ship. It was discovered by Greek-Cypriot sponge diver Andreas Kariolou in 1967 and salvaged close to Kyrenia in Cyprus in an expedition directed by Michael Katzev, a graduate student at the University of Pennsylvania's University Museum, from 1967-69. Preservation of the ship's timbers continued during the winter of 1970. Katzev later was a co-founder of the Institute of Nautical Archaeology. The Kyrenia ship is the oldest Greek ship ever discovered. The find was extensively covered in a documentary by the National Geographic Society. It is the only preserved ship from Greece's Classical Age. The ship was considered to be very well preserved with approximately 75% of it in good condition. It found a new home at the museum in Kyrenia Castle.

In 1974 Kyrenia, and the rest of Northern Cyprus, was occupied by Turkey. The ship remained in the city and is still preserved.

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[edit] Replicas

[edit] Kyrenia II

In 1985, Greek professors completed a full-size replica of the ship, known as Kyrenia II. Kyrenia II is often used as a floating ambassador of Cypriot culture, and has visited many parts of the world. In 1986, it visited New York; in 1988, Japan; and in 1989, West Germany.

[edit] Kyrenia III

Following the 1988 visit to Japan, the Japanese city of Fukuoka constructed a second copy of the ship, which is on permanent display in the city.

[edit] Kyrenia Liberty

In 2002, the construction of a third replica of the ship began. The ship was named Kyrenia Liberty. It was built with respect for the original design but with modern techniques. The ship was ready for the 2004 Olympic Games and set sail for Athens, Greece with a symbolic cargo of copper to be used in the Olympic bronze medals. This cargo was symbolic since the name Cyprus is associated with the Greek word for "copper".

[edit] Symbolism of the Kyrenia ships

Depiction of the Kyrenia ship on a Cypriot 20 cent coin.
Depiction of the Kyrenia ship on a Cypriot 20 cent coin.

The Kyrenia ship, Kyrenia II, and Kyrenia Liberty have become symbols of national pride for many Cypriots and a symbol of their lost home town for many Greek-Cypriot refugees from Kyrenia.

Three of the future Cypriot euro coins will feature the Kyrenia ship, the 10, 20, and 50 cents.[1]

[edit] External links

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