Italian authorities have uncovered a Roman vessel off the coast of Mazara del Vallo in Sicily, located approximately 3 miles offshore at a depth of about 46 metres. The ship, measuring roughly 21 metres long and 6 metres wide, dates back approximately 2,100 years and was discovered following a tip-off from fishers. Italy’s Carabinieri cultural heritage protection squad conducted the investigation with the assistance of divers and underwater camera equipment.
The vessel carried hundreds of amphorae—ancient two-handled ceramic vessels with narrow necks that were primarily used to transport wine. The majority of the cargo consisted of Dressel 1A amphorae, which are of particular interest to archaeologists because they provide insight into commercial networks connecting Italy with other Mediterranean regions during the second and first centuries BC. Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli characterized the find as significant archaeological evidence of the historical trade routes and cultural exchanges that characterized the Mediterranean during antiquity.
Divers Giacomo De Mola and Igor Bisulli documented the discovery, with De Mola noting the striking visual impact of encountering the intact cargo field after nearly 20 centuries. Sicily’s superintendency of the sea plans to conduct further scientific documentation and research at the site in the coming months, with archaeologists working to establish precise dating, determine the cargo’s origin and destination, assess the condition of materials, and develop protective measures for the site.
This discovery represents part of a broader pattern of significant Roman shipwrecks identified in Italian waters in recent years. Earlier discoveries include a second-century BC vessel found off the coast of Palermo in 2021 and another nearly intact Roman ship located off Liguria in 2013. The waters surrounding Sicily are recognized as among the Mediterranean’s most archaeologically rich underwater regions, with the island’s strategic position along ancient maritime routes suggesting the seabed contains numerous significant wrecks from classical antiquity.
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