Divers uncover hundreds of ancient relics near shipwreck untouched for 2,100 years

Archaeologists recently uncovered a roughly 2,100-year-old shipwreck off the coast of Sicily - along with hundreds of remnants of its ancient cargo.

The discovery was announced last month by the Italian Ministry of Culture. The ruins are about three miles off the coast of Mazara del Vallo, a city located about 50 miles southwest of Palermo.

The wreck was discovered during a joint inspection by Italian cultural heritage officials and Carabinieri diving units after private citizens reported the site.

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The Roman-era wreck dates between the second and first centuries B.C., the ministry said.

Divers found the site at a depth of about 150 feet.

"Hundreds of amphorae, predominantly of the Dressel 1A type, are present on the seabed, along with two lead anchor stocks and another structure made of the same material," officials said in a translated statement.

Pictures show hundreds of ancient amphorae clustered across the seabed, many still remarkably intact despite spending more than 2,000 years underwater.

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Amphorae, ceramic vessels commonly used throughout the ancient world, were often used to carry wine and olive oil, though officials have not said what the vessels found aboard the wreck once contained.

In a statement, Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli called the find "one of the most important underwater archaeological discoveries of recent years."

He added, "The sea continues to return precious fragments of our history to us, and the Mazara del Vallo shipwreck tells us about the people, routes and trade that made the Mediterranean a crossroads of civilizations."

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"Research will continue to uncover its history and make it available to the public."

Sicily's Superintendency of the Sea will conduct further research to learn more about the site's history and establish measures to protect it.

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The Mediterranean Sea, a hub of maritime trade for thousands of years, is filled with ancient shipwrecks that continue to yield new discoveries.

Earlier this summer, archaeologists announced the discovery of gold jewelry aboard a roughly 1,300-year-old shipwreck off a Croatian island.

Last summer, divers exploring another ancient wreck off the coast of Turkey uncovered hundreds of well-preserved ceramics dating back roughly 2,000 years.