AKIPRESS.COM - Yenikapı (port in Istanbul, Turkey) excavations that started nearly 10 years ago has brought back Istanbul’s historical heritage to 8,500 years. A wooden notebook, which was found in a sunken ship, the replica of which will sail, is considered the Byzantine’s invention akin to the likes of the modern-day tablet computer, Daily News reported.

During archaeological excavations, experts have also found striking information on animal culture, such as the meat of many animals, like horses and wild donkeys were eaten in the ancient era.

Remains unearthed in the excavations drew great attention not only in Turkish, but also in world archeology. The remains have survived as organic products, which greatly impressed the scientific world.

Within a project carried out by Istanbul University, the goal is to set the sunken ship, christened Yenikapı 12, sail again. The ship will be able to float by the middle of 2015.

“In one of the ships, we found something like today’s notebook. It is made of wood and can be opened like a notebook. It has a few pages and you can take notes using wax. Also, when you draw its sliding part, there are small weights used as an assay balance. Yenikapı is a phenomenon with its 37 sunken ships and organic products. I think these organic products are the most important feature of the Yenikapı excavations,” according to the project team member, Associate Professor Ufuk Kocabaş.

The team had reached the archaeological excavations even 28 meters below the sea level, which is unbelievable. “The route that we are planning for vehicles will start from Bucoleon Palace. Significant pieces could be unearthed there.”