Roman shipwreck with 500 amphorae found off coast of Sicily

A 2,100-year-old Roman shipwreck with around 500 amphorae has been discovered 3 miles off the coast of Mazara del Vallo in Sicily. The vessel, found at a depth of 46 metres, was carrying hundreds of ancient two-handled ceramic jars used for transporting wine. Italy's culture minister described the wreck as "one of the most important underwater archaeological discoveries of recent years," highlighting its significance in understanding trade routes and exchanges that made the Mediterranean a crossroads of civilizations.

Divers Giacomo De Mola and Igor Bisulli described the moment they discovered the wreck, stating that it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience to see it after nearly 20 centuries. Most of the ship's cargo consisted of Dressel 1A amphorae, commonly used for wine transportation and valuable to archaeologists for reconstructing commercial networks.

Sicily's superintendency of the sea will carry out a scientific documentation and research phase in the coming months to establish more details about the wreck's date, origin, cargo destination, and the condition of the surviving material. The discovery follows other significant Roman wrecks found in Italian waters, including a second-century BC vessel off Palermo's coast discovered in 2021 and an almost intact Roman vessel off Liguria's coast in 2013.