One of the oldest seafaring ships in the world has been reconstructed after seven years" patient archaeological work. The ship, a 60-foot sailing vessel, sank off the coast of Cyprus in the days of Alexander the Great around the year 300 B.C. Its discovery and restoration have now thrown new light on the ancient trade routes and shipbuilding techniques. What makes the Cyprus ship so informative is the remarkable state of preservation—mainly due to an unusual feature of its design. The hull was sheathed on the outside with lead that was fixed to the timber with bronze tacks which helped the wooden frame survive 2000 years under the sea. The first clue to the wreck"s existence came in 1964 when a sponge diver from the present-day resort of Kyrenia came across a pole of amphorae(ancient storage jugs). Unfortunately his diving air supply ran out just at that moment, so that he had no time to mark the spot. It took him three years and hundreds of dives before he chanced upon them again. He reported his find to an underwater archaeological team from the University of Pennsylvania which was surveying the Cypriot coasts for wrecks. After checking his description, the team decided to concentrate their resources on the Kyrenia ship, and over the next two years a team of no fewer that 50 archaeologists and divers took part in the excavation. With the help of a metal detector, the team discovered that wreckage lay scattered over a 2000-square-foot area, often buried beneath sand and sea-weed. Each item was carefully photographed in its place, and a system of plastic grids stretched over the whole site so that it could be accurately mapped. More than 400 amphorae lay buried in the sand. The ship had been carrying a cargo of wine and almonds. More than 9000 of these were found in or nearby the amphorae, their outer shells still perfectly preserved. As well as these, there were 29 stone grain mills, being carried both as cargo and as ballast. These were carefully stored in three rows parallel to the axis of the keel. As well as the main cargo, there were other small finds. Four wooden spoons, four oil jugs, four salt dishes and four drinking cups suggested the number of crew on the ship s last voyage. There was an axe, and near the intricately carved mast lay a wooden pulley, used to raise and lower the yard. A bronze cauldron, used perhaps to prepare the crew"s meals was also lying in the wreck. Of five bronze coins found, none dated earlier than 306 B.C. Carbon-14 analysis of the almond cargo pinpointed their date at about 288 B.C., but that of the ship"s planking suggested an earlier of 370 B.C. Thus the Kyrenia ship was more than 80 years old the day she sank-a long life for a wooden hull and proof of the good craftsmanship of her builder.

单选题 The discovery of the ship is important to students of early ships and their routes because ______.

单选题 Archaeologists were able to learn a lot about the construction of the ship because ______.

单选题 When was the wreck of Kyrenia ship found?

单选题 Which of the following tasks is not stated as having formed part of the research?

单选题 The approximate date of the shipwreck could be decided from ______.