Roman shipwreck more than 2,000 years old discovered off Sicily
A Roman merchant ship, believed to be more than 2,000 years old, has been discovered off the coast of Sicily, with hundreds of well-preserved amphorae among its cargo. The vessel, measuring about 21 metres long and 6 metres wide, appears to have been used to transport goods including wine and olive oil. Italy’s culture minister, Alessandro Giuli, described the find as “one of the most important underwater archaeological discoveries of recent years”.
Italy’s culture ministry said the wreck dates to the second or first century BC. The ship was located at a depth of about 46 metres off the coast of Mazara del Vallo after a report from local fishermen. Giacomo De Mola, a fisherman and recreational diver, said he came across the wreck while exploring the seabed. De Mola said his scanner had picked up what appeared to be a large rock. He decided to dive down to investigate. “I got closer. And my heart stopped. It wasn’t a rock,” he wrote on social media, describing the moment he realised what he had found. Instead, he discovered hundreds of amphorae – long ceramic vessels widely used in the ancient world to store and transport wine, oil and grain. In a video posted afterwards, De Mola called it “the most incredible discovery of my life”. “It is difficult to describe what it feels like to be one of the first people in almost 20 centuries to see that place again,” he said. “The sea never stops surprising us. This time we didn’t just find a shipwreck, we found a part of our history.”
Specialist divers from Italy’s Carabinieri, the police unit responsible for protecting the country’s cultural heritage, were sent to the site. Authorities said security measures would be put in place to protect the area while investigators work to establish more about the wreck and its cargo.
The seabed of the Mediterranean is thought to contain numerous wrecks dating from the Greek and Roman periods, offering evidence of the extensive trading networks that once connected communities around the ancient sea. In 2023, another Roman merchant vessel was discovered north-west of Rome. The wreck, also dating to the first or second century BC, was found carrying hundreds of amphorae. Another significant discovery was made in 2018, when a Greek merchant ship more than 2,400 years old was found lying on its side off the coast of Bulgaria. At the time, it was described as the world’s oldest known intact shipwreck. The latest discovery off Sicily could provide further insight into the trade routes, maritime commerce and shipping networks that connected the Mediterranean during the Roman period.