The Hull of Yenikapı Shipwreck YK 11: a 7th-century merchant vessel from Constantinople's Theodosian Harbour

Abstract

YK 11, a small, heavily repaired merchantman, was one of 37 Byzantine shipwrecks excavated at Yenikapı in Istanbul, Turkey. This 7th-century hull, abandoned in the harbour as a derelict, was studied by archaeologists from the Institute of Nautical Archaeology. Originally built with mortise-and-tenon edge joinery, the ship had undergone a series of significant repairs over its lifetime. Repairs included the replacement of planking as well as framing. Although the repaired vessel exhibits evidence of both shell-first and skeleton-first shipbuilding techniques, detailed study of the hull remains indicates that the ship was initially designed and built as a primarily shell-based vessel.