The remains of one of the badly - fated passengers aboard an ancient Greek ship that sunk in the Aegean Sea more than 2,000 years ago has been discovered among the wreckage . The skeleton is the first to have been regain on an ancient shipwreck since the growing ofDNA analysistechniques , and could therefore supply scientists with a favourable opportunity to learn about the indistinguishability , ethnicity , and stock of one of the victims of the legendaryAntikythera shipwreck .
First discovered by sponge diver off the coast of the Greek island of Antikythera back in 1900 , the shipwreck became celebrated when investigator recovered the so - calledAntikythera mechanismduring their initial archeological site . Heralded as the world ’s firstanalog computer , the incredibly sophisticated clockwork equipment modeling the effort of the Sun , Moon , and major planet , permit astronomers to promise the date of occultation and wandering alignment .
Though archeologist suspect the 40 - meter - long ( 130 - groundwork ) vessel was likely traveling from the Eastern Mediterranean towards Rome when a tempest sent itcrashing into the rocksoff the coast of Antikythera , the accurate blood line and purpose of the voyage is still unidentified .
The Antikythera mechanism is an astonishingly complex astronomic equipment , report as an ancient analog information processing system . Marsyas via Wikimedia Commons
Fortunately , many of the mystery lying on the seabed may shortly be work out , thanks to a squad guide by Brendan Foley from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution , who find the human remains . Among their findings were part of a skull along with three tooth , as well as two thighbone , weapon bones , and several pieces of rib , all of which are think to go to the same someone .
Hannes Schroeder of the Natural History Museum of Denmark has since been tasked with sequencing the desoxyribonucleic acid contained within these pearl , and is presently awaiting clearance from the Grecian authorisation to get started . " Against all odds , the ivory pull round over 2,000 years at the bottom of the ocean and they seem to be in pretty good circumstance , which is incredible , " he say in astatement .
It is hoped that Schroeder ’s survey will break the gender , pedigree and geographical line of the bone ’s owners , as well as some of his or her strong-arm characteristics such as hair and eye colour . In the interim , the researchers have nicknamed the ancient sailor Pamphilos , after finding this name inscribe in a vino glass among the wreckage of the ship .
