Divers uncover 2,100-year-old Roman shipwreck off Sicily with hundreds of amphorae
Divers discovered a 2,100-year-old Roman shipwreck off the coast of Sicily on Saturday, loaded with hundreds of well-preserved amphorae likely used to transport wine and olive oil. The wreck was found at a depth of 46 meters, about 5 kilometers from Mazara del Vallo in western Sicily, according to Italy’s Culture Ministry and local police reports.
The vessel, measuring 21 meters long and 6 meters wide, dates to between the 2nd and 1st centuries B.C., the ministry said. Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli called it “one of the most important recent discoveries in underwater archaeology” .
Giacomo De Mola, a local fisherman and free diver, first spotted the wreck after his sonar detected an anomaly resembling a large rock. In an Instagram post, he described the moment he swam closer: “Visibility wasn’t great… I approached. And my breath stopped. Beneath me stretched an immense field covered in amphorae” . De Mola alerted specialized divers from the Carabinieri’s cultural heritage protection unit, who confirmed the find.
The amphorae, primarily of the Dressel 1A type, were typically used for wine transport in antiquity. Authorities have initiated protective measures to safeguard the site during further investigation. The Carabinieri released underwater footage showing the amphorae still grouped on the seafloor, a testament to the ship’s cargo before it sank .
The discovery follows other significant Mediterranean shipwrecks in recent years. In 2023, a similar Roman-era vessel was found northwest of Rome, also carrying hundreds of amphorae. In 2018, a 2,400-year-old Greek merchant ship was uncovered off Bulgaria’s coast, described at the time as the world’s oldest known intact shipwreck .
Follow us for live European news
- 2
- 2
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
1 further source not geolocated
Articles
Hylyt | Sisilian rannikolta löytyi yli 2 000 vuotta vanha hylky lasteineen Alus oli täynnä satoja hyvin säilyneitä saviruukkuja, joita käytettiin luultavasti viinin ja oliiviöljyn kuljettamiseen.
helsingin sanomat · about 2 hours ago
Leben wie die Römer in Trier – darauf einen Apfelwein! Porta Nigra, Amphitheater und die Thermen: Die Stadt an der Mosel ist eine der ältesten Städte Deutschlands, und es lässt sich auf den Spuren römischen Lebens wandeln wie kaum anderswo. Auch ein Kurztrip lohnt.
welt.de · about 2 hours ago
Hylyt | Sisilian rannikolta löydettiin antiikin Rooman aikainen laivanhylky Alus oli täynnä satoja hyvin säilyneitä saviruukkuja, joita käytettiin luultavasti viinin ja oliiviöljyn kuljettamiseen.
helsingin sanomat · about 2 hours ago
2 000 år gammalt skeppsvrak upptäckt utanför Sicilien 100 år före Kristus sjönk ett romerskt vinskepp till havets botten utanför Sicilien. Över 2 000 år senare har det upptäckts av fiskaren Giacomo de Mola. Havet slutar aldrig att överraska oss. Den här gången hittade vi inte bara ett skeppsvrak. Vi hittade en del av vår historia.
dagens nyheter · about 2 hours ago
Un barco romano cargado con cientos de ánforas emerge frente a las costas de Sicilia La embarcación fue localizada a unos cinco kilómetros de Mazara del Vallo y está siendo investigada por la unidad de protección del patrimonio cultural de los Carabineros italianos
la vanguardia · about 3 hours ago
A surpresa que é Bobadela Bobadela não brilha só pelas espantosas ruínas romanas (com destaque para o anfiteatro), mas pelo megalitismo muito anterior e pelos povoados da Idade do Ferro
observador · about 3 hours ago
Harrastaja löysi Google Mapsista 390 miljoonaa vuotta vanhan kraatterin – Asiantuntijat eivät aluksi uskoneet
iltalehti · about 4 hours ago
«Βρήκαμε ένα κομμάτι της ιστορίας μας»: Ανακαλύφθηκε αρχαίο ρωμαϊκό ναυάγιο στη Σικελία, δείτε βίντεο και φωτογραφίες Το ναυάγιο εντόπισε πρώτος ένας ψαράς και ελεύθερος δύτης την ώρα που εξερευνούσε τον βυθό κοντά στη Mazara del Vallo - «Μία από τις σημαντικότερες υποβρύχιες αρχαιολογικές ανακαλύψεις των τελευταίων ετών», τόνισε ο υπουργός Πολιτισμού
protothema · about 8 hours ago
Kétezer éves hajóroncsra bukkant egy búvár Szicília partjainál A római kori hajóroncs 21 méter széles és 6 méter hosszú, az időszámítás előtti 2-1. században süllyedhetett el.
hvg.hu · about 8 hours ago
Έφτιαξε μόνος του ρωμαϊκό θέατρο 1.600 ετών και έκοβε εισιτήρια 40 ευρώ: Απίστευτη απάτη στην Ιταλία
protothema · about 10 hours ago
Kétezeréves hajóroncsot találtak Szicília partjainál A roncsot egy búvárkodó halász fedezte fel.
444.hu · about 10 hours ago
Comoară arheologică în largul Siciliei: O navă romană cu sute de amfore, găsită pe fundul mării O descoperire întâmplătoare făcută la 46 de metri adâncime a scos la iveală, în largul Siciliei, o navă romană veche de peste două milenii. Epava, considerată una dintre cele mai importante descoperiri recente ale arheologiei subacvatice, păstrează sute de amfore în stare foarte bună, folosite cel mai probabil pentru transportul vinului.
digi24 · about 11 hours ago
V Turčiji našli 2500 let star kip, ki so ga pozneje uporabili za tlakovce rimske ceste V Turčiji so na območju starodavnega mesta Sarde odkrili 2500 let star kip, ki ponazarja mladega moškega s sadjem v rokah. Kip, ki je bil nekoč visok dobra dva metra, je razbit na dva dela, kljub temu pa je po besedah strokovnjakov dobro ohranjen.
rtv slovenia · about 12 hours ago
Seceta scoate la iveală armele războiului. Nave naziste și muniţii descoperite după ce nivelul Dunării a scăzut dramatic în Europa Nivelul record de scăzut al Dunării a scos la iveală vestigii ale trecutului nazist al Europei, zeci de nave din Al Doilea Război Mondial ieşind la suprafaţă din albia fluviului în timpul unei secete severe. În mijlocul Dunării, la graniţa dintre Serbia şi România, corpul dezmembrat al unei nave putea fi văzut pe un banc de nisip care, în mod normal, se află sub apă. Alte nave erau parţial scufundate, iar despre unele dintre ele se crede că sunt încărcate cu armament, relatează The Guardian.
digi24 · about 12 hours ago
Ancient Roman shipwreck believed more than 2,000 years old discovered off Sicily coast The ship was found still full of well-preserved vessels used to transport ancient wine
independent · about 12 hours ago
Ob obali Sicilije našli ostanke rimske ladje: "Srce mi je zastalo. Pod menoj je bilo polje amfor." Italijanski potapljači so ob obali Sicilije odkrili razbitino rimske ladje iz obdobja med 2. in 1. stoletjem pr. n. štetjem, ki je bila natovorjena s stotinami dobro ohranjenih amfor.
rtv slovenia · about 12 hours ago
Destroços de navio romano descobertos na costa da Sicília Os destroços revelaram centenas de ânforas, que seriam usadas para transporte de mercadorias
observador · about 12 hours ago