Under the scope of an empirical project started in Urla, a district in İzmir, a “primitive boat” is being built by a technique of burning and carving inside of a beech log with sharp stones. With the PhD dissertation “Anatolian Maritime Activities in 7000s – 6000s B.C.” of Koray Alper, faculty member of Pamukkale University, Archaeology Department and with the support of the university, a “primitive boat” belonging to a period thousands of years before is being built under a project started in the empirical archaeology museum of Association of Historical Researches by 360 degree in Urla. Giving information about the project, Alper said the dates he studies are known as the Neolithic Period of Western Anatolia and there are numerous data about the shipping trade between the Anatolian coast and Aegean Islands in this period. ”Theoretical thesis is present about how trade was conducted by sea way and what type of vessels were used” said Alper, aiming to test this thesis with empirical practices.

Alper continued: “Mankind builtvessels from reeds first, but late they developed boats enabling cargo transportation enduring waves and wind. Some were thinking that people used to travel on logs. At our first trial, we observed that this was not true. First, we threw a bare log to the water; it was not possible to row on it. There were no materials to be used in boat building, except obsidian or fire stones. In order to machine the log with stones, we started to apply burning technique.”

New boat to travel to Greek Islands Alper emphasized that working against ember was not very easy and also had difficulty due to the primitive tools used. “The study proceeds with the contributions of volunteers, but we cannot run a full time and systematic program. “We estimated that forming the log of 4 meters long, 95 centimeters width into a boat will take almost 2 months. After carving process ends, we will throw it to the sea and test its balance. If needed, we will add a stabilizer bar on sides. After a test trip on coastline by this boat next year, we will go on a round trip to one of the Greek Islands. Thus, we will enact the trade in Neolithic Period.

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