Italian authorities have confirmed the discovery of a Roman-era shipwreck carrying hundreds of ancient wine jars off the coast of Sicily, a find the country's culture minister has described as one of the most significant underwater archaeological discoveries in recent years.
The wreck was located 46 metres below the surface near Mazara del Vallo on the island's western coast. Italy's Carabinieri Command for the Protection of Cultural Heritage said the vessel dates from between the second and first centuries BC. The site contains hundreds of amphorae, ceramic jars used to transport wine, oil and other goods, along with two lead anchor stocks and a lead structure.
Private divers made the initial find
The wreck was first reported by private citizens. Divers Giacomo De Mola and Igor Bisulli encountered the site during a survey dive. In an Instagram post, De Mola described the moment he saw the cargo spread across the seabed. "Visibility wasn't the best. I got closer. And my heart stopped. Below me was a vast expanse of amphorae," he wrote. The pile of jars measures approximately 21 metres long, six metres wide and nearly two metres high.
"This is, without a doubt, the most incredible discovery of my life," De Mola said. "It's hard to describe what it feels like to be among the first humans, in nearly 20 centuries, to see that place again."
Trade hub of the ancient Mediterranean
Alessandro Giuli, Italy's culture minister, said the wreck tells the story of the men, routes and exchanges that made the Mediterranean a crossroads of civilizations. Sicily's central position made it a strategic hub for maritime trade connecting Italy with Spain, Greece and North Africa during the Roman Empire.
The Superintendence of the Sea will conduct further documentation and investigation to establish a more precise date, determine the origin and destination of the cargo, and study the vessel's structure. Initial 3D imaging has been completed, but the wreck and much of its cargo remain on the seabed.
The discovery follows a similar find in July 2021, when a Roman shipwreck carrying wine amphorae was located 92 metres deep off the coast of Palermo. For Canadian readers, the work mirrors the underwater archaeology conducted by Parks Canada at sites such as the Franklin expedition wrecks in the Arctic and the Sable Island National Park Reserve, where researchers continue to document maritime heritage in Canadian waters.
Based on reporting by Global News.