In the Greek myth of Jason and the golden fleece, Jason becomes the first sailor to safely journey from the Mediterranean Sea into the Black Sea. And during years of adventures, Jason’s ship, the Argo, and its gallant crew survive monsters, storms, and vengeful goddesses all along the Black Sea coast.
The Black Sea is the most isolated sea in the world. Credit: NASAThe Argo ended its adventure with a safe return to a Greek island. But many real ships weren’t so lucky — they wound up on the bottom of the Black Sea. And many of them are still there — almost perfectly preserved by a sea floor environment unlike any other.
The Black Sea is the most isolated sea in the world. It connects to the Mediterranean through two narrow, shallow straits. Warm, salty water flows into the Black Sea through these channels, where it sinks to the bottom. Cool fresh water from the Danube and a few other large rivers fills the top layers.
But there’s very little mixing between these layers. So over the centuries, bacteria at the bottom of the Black Sea have used up the oxygen. That means the sea floor is bereft of many of the organisms that inhabit the floors of most oceans — including those that would break down sunken ships.
Expeditions by Robert Ballard, who found the Titanic, have discovered several ships — some of them almost 2,000 years old — in remarkably good condition. Some of them are surrounded by stacks of unbroken jars filled with trade goods. And other expeditions have found more ships — ships that didn’t enjoy the divine protection of Jason and the legendary Argo.
