Italian divers find ancient 2,000 year old Roman shipwreck
Shipwreck discovered by divers off Sicily's coast
- Published
We all like to find hidden treasures, but for these divers their discovery was more unusual than most.
They discovered a Roman shipwreck off the coast of Sicily, a large island at the southern tip of Italy.
A fisherman first came across it on a seabed near Mazara del Vallo, before specialist police divers from the Italian cultural heritage protection arm were brought in.
Italy's Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli has called it "one of the most important underwater archaeological discoveries of recent years".
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The ship, which was found around 46m (150ft) under the surface, is believed to date from the second or 1st Century BC.
Local media reports have said is 21m (69ft) long and 6m (20ft) wide.
Despite being more than 2,000 years old, the vessel still had hundreds of well-preserved tall ceramic jars, called amphorae, on board.
Experts say they would have been used to transport goods such as wine, grain and olive oil.
Divers from a specialist arm of Italy's police were sent to the site of the wreckage
Fisherman and free-diver Giacomo De Mola has described what it was like first finding the ship, after seeing something that appeared to be a large rock on his scanner.
"This is, without a doubt, the most incredible discovery of my life," he 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."
He has posted a video of the wreck on social media, showing eels, snappers and "countless marine life" living among the jars.
He wrote: "The sea never ceases to amaze us.
"This time we didn't just find a wreck, we found a piece of our history."
Will the shipwreck be protected?
Officials say safety measures will be taken to look after the wreck it while it undergoes investigation.
Experts are hoping their work will help them understand more about the nature of the ship and its cargo.
The Mediterranean seabed is thought to be scattered with similar ancient wrecks.
In 2023 another 1st or 2nd Century BC vessel was found north-west of Rome, while in 2018 a Greek merchant ship dating back more than 2,400 years was found off the Bulgarian coast.
