Over two millennia old ancient Roman ship's wreckage found near Italian coast

An ancient cargo ship wreckage was discovered on a seabed off the port in Civitavecchia, which is around 50 miles northwest of the capital city of Rome, saidthe country’s Carabinieri Command for the Protection of Cultural Heritage.

The vessel, which belongs to the 1st or 2nd century BC, containshundreds of ancient Roman jars which are called amphorae, many of which were found still intact in the wreckage which was discovered using a remotely operated robot, said the authorities.

“The exceptional discovery is an important example of the shipwreck of a Roman ship facing the perils of the sea in an attempt to reach the coast, and bears witness to old maritime trading routes,” said the police unit in a statement.

The authorities are now working to ensure that the site is protected as hundreds of amphorae are illegally taken each year and discovered in the homes of art dealers by Italian police.

Hundreds of illegally obtained archaeological articles were seized by the Italian authorities in June 2021 from a Belgian collector which included commemorative slabs known as stelae, amphorae, and other items worth nearly $10 million, reported the Guardian.

Underwater treasures on Italy's coastline

Meanwhile, the coastline of Italy is teeming with underwater treasures which are regularly patrolled by police scuba divers to protect them from looters.

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Two ancient Roman ships were discovered by Sicilian archaeologists in 2021 – one was discovered near the island of Ustica and the other off the coast of Palermo. Large amounts of wine jugs were being carried out by both vessels.

An almost intact ship, which belonged to the 2nd century BC, was discovered by the police off the coast of Genoa in 2013 after they were tipped off regarding the ship's wreckage following a year-long investigation into the artefacts which were stolen.

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