A Roman-era shipwreck thought to be more than 2,000 years old carrying hundreds of amphorae has been identified off the coast of Sicily.
The wreck lies at a depth of 46 metres (151ft), approximately three miles (4.8km) off Mazara del Vallo on the island’s southwestern coast.
Italian authorities have provisionally dated it to between the 2nd and 1st centuries BC, with Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli describing the discovery as ‘one of the most important underwater archaeological discoveries of recent years’.
Hundreds of amphorae were documented on the seabed, which authorities have described as largely being of the ‘Dressel 1A’ type, named for German archaeologist Heinrich Dressel, who developed a classification system for Roman amphorae in the late 19th century.
The Dressel 1A amphora is a tall, cylindrical ceramic jar with a high neck, two handles and a pointed base and was widely used for transporting wine, although the contents of the newly discovered remains have not yet been identified.
Two lead anchor stocks and another so far unidentified lead structure were also recorded amongst the wreckage.
The wreck was initially discovered by private citizens, and subsequently investigated by divers from the Carabinieri Underwater Unit in Messina as part of a joint survey with the Carabinieri Cultural Heritage Protection Unit in Palermo.
The Sicilian Superintendency of the Sea, responsible for researching and protecting Italy’s underwater cultural heritage, was also involved, and the dive teams were supported by a Carabinieri patrol boat from Trapani.
‘I congratulate the Carabinieri, their specialised units and the Sea Superintendency of the Sicilian Region for the expertise and dedication that made this result possible,’ said Giuli.
‘The sea continues to give us back precious fragments of our history and the wreck of Mazara del Vallo tells us about the people, the routes and the exchanges that made the Mediterranean a crossroads of civilisations.
‘Research will continue to uncover its story and share it with the public.’
The Sicilian Superintendency of the Sea will now carry out further documentation and investigation to reconstruct the archaeological context and adopt the necessary measures to protect the site.
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