8,000-year-old boat found in South Korea

The remains of what's believed to be the oldest watercraft ever discovered on the Korean Peninsula, were unearthed in Changnyong County of South Kyongsang Province, the Gimhae National Museum told the Korean times.

The find is the first such discovery from the Neolithic era found in South Korea, scientists said. It dates to about 8,000 years and measures 2 feet wide, 10 feet long and about 8 inches deep. The boat, in its original state, was believed to have been about 13 feet long, the Korean Times said.

The exact date of the boat has not yet been determined, but scientists told the newspaper the fact it was discovered in the fifth shell layer, the lowest layer in ruins dating to the early Neolithic era, indicates it's approximately 8,000 years old.

The oldest boat previously discovered in South Korea was a boat built during the 8th century.

Copyright 2005 by United Press International