Ships in the Eastern Mediterranean in Late Bronze and Iron Ages and Dana Island Shipyard

The transition of humans from hunter-gatherer to settled life brought many technological developments. The most effective of these developments was food production and commercial activities. The maritime adventure, which started with the bones of deep-sea fish from the year 3050 BC, which proved the use of boats in Egypt, has reached to the present day with the developing technology. Regional variation in raw materials has led to the development of different ship types and construction techniques. The adventure of sailing, which started in Egypt by produce the reeds into bundles, in Mesopotamia by tying the skins of small cattle to cages made of branches. Throughout the history of humanity, apart from the ships used for both commercial and military activities, ships for sacred purposes have also been produced. It has been proven by archaeological data that not every ship was built for floating and was also used in sacred ceremonies. Ships were used in the belief of life after death in Egypt and Greek culture and the ships were given a sacred meaning. In the first part of the study, the political structure of the Eastern Mediterranean in the Late Bronze Age and Iron Age was examined. In the second part, the routes used in land and sea trade in the Eastern Mediterranean region, the winds and currents affecting the sea routes and finally the cargo contents were examined. In the third chapter, types of ships produced and used in the Late Bronze Age and Iron Age, ship construction techniques, tools used by shipbuilders and the development of ship technology are mentioned. In the fourth chapter, the shipyards where the ships are produced, the dockyards where the repairs and repairs are made, and the Dana Island shipyard are mentioned.