2,200-year-old Roman shipwreck reveals ancient waterproofing secrets

A 2,200-year-old Roman shipwreck off the coast of Croatia has helped reveal ancient waterproofing secrets. Researchers from France and Croatia analyzed the protective coating on the Ilovik-Paržine 1 shipwreck, which sank around that time. The study, published in Frontiers in Materials, is one of the first to combine molecular and pollen analysis to identify ship coatings and reconstruct the vegetation present during their production.

The wreck was discovered in 2016, and its cargo has been studied multiple times since. The protective coating on the Roman ship contained two types of materials: one made of pine tar, also called pitch, and another a mixture of pine tar and beeswax. The pine tar was likely sourced from local forests, while the beeswax component suggests possible trade connections between the Mediterranean and the north-eastern Adriatic coast.

Analysis of pollen trapped in the coatings provided clues about the ship's origins and history. The pollen revealed plants typical of Mediterranean and Adriatic coasts, such as holly oak, pine, olive, and hazel trees. It also indicated the presence of vegetation from riverbanks and seashores. Some pollen grains came from mountainous terrain, characteristic of the north-eastern Adriatic coast.

The study suggests that the ship underwent four to five separate batches of coating over time, with repairs possibly taking place in different locations along the Adriatic coast. Earlier research indicated that the ship was built in Brundisium, modern-day Brindisi, Italy. The pollen evidence supports this, suggesting that some coatings were applied in that area, while others may have been added along the north-eastern Adriatic coast near the wreck's final location.