Egyptian sources, Ugaritic records, and the archaeological evidence from underwater sites like Uluburun all testify to the importance and sophistication of Bronze Age seafaring.

The ships of the period were not the primitive dugout canoes of popular imagination; they were substantial vessels capable of carrying significant cargo over open sea.

The Uluburun ship, excavated by the Institute of Nautical Archaeology beginning in 1984, was approximately fifteen meters long — not small.

It carried ten tons of copper and one ton of tin, along with the diverse cargo described earlier.

This was a merchant vessel, not designed for military operations, but it demonstrates the capacity of Bronze Age shipping to move substantial weights over long distances.