JERUSALEM, March 25 (Xinhua) -- An underwater excavation off Israel's northern coast in the Mediterranean Sea has uncovered the earliest known cargo of raw iron transported by ship, dating back around 2,600 years, the University of Haifa said in a statement on Wednesday.
The nine pieces of raw iron, known as "blooms," were found in an ancient shipwreck in the Dor Lagoon near the Carmel Coast, it said.
The discovery, published in the journal Heritage Science, showed the metal was preserved in its original form, solidified directly in a smelting furnace, with no signs of forging or further processing, it said.
Unlike metals such as copper and bronze, iron in ancient times was not melted into liquid form. Instead, it was heated with charcoal to produce a solid, porous mass, which was usually hammered into denser material to make tools, it said.
Researchers used microscopic and chemical tests, along with radiocarbon dating of charred wood trapped inside one piece, to confirm the age and condition of the cargo.
The findings showed the iron was shipped in its raw state directly after production, suggesting it was made at remote sites and transported elsewhere for processing, offering new insight into ancient Mediterranean trade, it said. ■
