Divers Stumble Upon 2,000-Year-Old Roman Shipwreck in Italy
The wreck off the coast of Italy, filled with clay vessels, is being hailed as “one of the most important underwater archaeological discoveries of recent years.”
Last week, two Italian divers stumbled upon a remarkable 2,000-year-old Roman shipwreck while exploring the Sicilian coast. Giacomo De Mola and Igor Bisulli discovered the site after confusing the wreck for a large rock. The ship, situated at a depth of 46 meters (151 feet), was laden with hundreds of Dressel 1A amphorae, a type of ceramic wine jar characteristic of the late Roman Republic era.
Additional artifacts found at the site included two anchor stumps and an unidentified lead structure. Sicilian cultural authorities and Italian Minister of Culture Alessandro Giuli hailed the discovery as one of the most significant underwater archaeological finds in recent years. The divers initially mistook the wreck for a large rock.
The amphorae, dated between the second and first centuries BCE, could offer valuable insights into Ancient Rome's expansion throughout the Mediterranean. The shipwreck may also contain Lamboglia 2 amphorae, as well as clay jars from North African Neo-Punic-era. The Sicilian authorities have not yet classified the amphorae or their contents.
This discovery echoes other ancient Roman shipwreck findings in recent years, such as the unearthing of over 300 amphorae in a 1,700-year-old vessel in Mallorca in 2019 and another collection off the coast of Palermo in 2021.
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