Roman Shipwreck Carrying 500 Amphoras Emerges Off Sicily as Probe Sizes 70-Foot Vessel
Updated
Updated · Archaeology Magazine · Aug 10
Roman Shipwreck Carrying 500 Amphoras Emerges Off Sicily as Probe Sizes 70-Foot Vessel
3 articles · Updated · Archaeology Magazine · Aug 10
Summary
Fishers found the remains of a Roman ship about 3 miles off Mazara del Vallo, Sicily, with cargo from roughly 500 amphoras on board when it sank 2,100 years ago.
Italy’s Carabinieri cultural heritage unit said the wreck lies 150 feet underwater and measures nearly 70 feet long by 20 feet wide.
The amphoras appear to be the type commonly used to transport wine, offering a clearer picture of the vessel’s cargo.
Sicily’s Superintendency of the Sea will now document the site, date the wreck more precisely, and study the cargo as part of broader research into ancient Mediterranean trade.