2,000-Year-Old Roman Shipwreck Found Off Sicily

An ancient Roman shipwreck, believed to be more than 2,000 years old, has been recovered off the coast of Sicily in what Italian officials are calling one of the most important underwater archaeological discoveries in recent years. The vessel, found packed with hundreds of well-preserved ceramic jars, was located approximately 150 feet below the surface near the town of Mazara del Vallo.

Specialist divers from Italy's Carabinieri Cultural Heritage Protection Unit located the wreckage following a tip-off from local fishermen. The ship, estimated to be around 70 feet long and 20 feet wide, dates to the 1st or 2nd century BC, according to Italy's Ministry of Culture. It was found filled with hundreds of slender amphorae, specifically the Dressel 1A type, which were commonly used in the Roman era to transport wine, olive oil, and grain.

Freediver Giacomo De Mola, who was among the first to see the site, described the moment of discovery. "I get closer. And my heart stops. It wasn't a rock," he wrote in a social media post, recounting how his scanner initially showed what appeared to be a large rock formation. Instead, he found a vast expanse of amphorae. "This is, without a doubt,...