Roman shipwreck with 500 amphorae found off Sicily

A 2,100-year-old Roman shipwreck carrying about 500 amphorae has been discovered three miles off the coast of Mazara del Vallo in Sicily, according to the Guardian. Italy's Carabinieri cultural heritage protection unit made the find, which the culture minister has called one of the most important underwater archaeological discoveries of recent years.

The New York Times reports that hundreds of ancient amphorae were found piled up about 150 feet underwater, suggesting the relics came from a Roman shipwreck from about 2,000 years ago. CBS News adds that the discovery was made by an underwater fisherman who described it as the 'most incredible' in his life.

The vessel was located near the coast of Mazara del Vallo, a town on Sicily's western shore that has yielded significant ancient maritime finds before. The amphorae, large clay jars used to transport wine, oil and other goods, offer a window into Roman trade routes across the Mediterranean.

For the Abruzzo bureau, the discovery resonates beyond Sicily's waters. The Adriatic coast of central Italy, including Abruzzo's own shoreline, was part of the same Roman maritime trading network that carried goods in vessels like the one now found off Mazara del Vallo. The region's ports, such as those at Pescara and Ortona, were waypoints for Roman commerce, and the amphorae type found in the Sicilian wreck has parallels in underwater finds along the Adriatic.

The Guardian notes that Sicily was colonised by the ancient Greeks from around the eighth century BC, and the island's waters have long been a rich source of archaeological material. The Carabinieri's cultural protection unit, which made the discovery, is the same force that has recovered countless artefacts from looters and traffickers across Italy, including in Abruzzo where the 2009 earthquake around L'Aquila raised concerns about the vulnerability of cultural heritage.

The wreck's location, at a depth of about 150 feet, made it accessible to the recreational diver who first spotted the amphorae. CBS News reports that the discovery was made by an underwater fisherman, underscoring how citizen finds often trigger official investigations. The culture ministry has not yet announced plans for excavation, but the site is expected to be protected and studied, according to the BBC.

The find adds to a growing catalogue of Roman shipwrecks in Italian waters, each revealing more about the empire's vast trade networks. For the high Apennines, where Abruzzo's mountain villages look toward the Adriatic, the wreck is a reminder that this landscape of peaks and coast was once a crossroads of the ancient world, moving goods between North Africa, Sicily and the ports of the Adriatic.