Pioneering preservative removal from ancient Greek ship allows accurate dating

The preserving agent polyethylene glycol (PEG) has been removed from a sample of the 4th-century BCE Greek Kyrenia ship, allowing radiocarbon dating to provide a better estimate of when it sank. ‘This is the first time a real proper effort at scientific dating has been made,’ says lead author Sturt Manning of Cornell University, US.

The Kyrenia was found off the north coast of Cyprus in 1965 and is believed to be a 4th-century BCE ancient Greek merchant ship. Radiocarbon dating was attempted to date the ship, along evidence including coins in its cargo, but doubts remain about the accuracy of estimates for its construction and last voyage.