An ancient Roman vessel dating back to the second century BC has been discovered in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Palermo. The ship lies 92 m

Ancient Roman ship laden with wine jars discovered off Sicily

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2021-08-02 00:00:06

An ancient Roman vessel dating back to the second century BC has been discovered in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Palermo.

The ship lies 92 metres (302ft) deep in the ocean, near Isola delle Femmine, and from the first images taken by a submarine robot it was carrying a copious cargo of wine amphorae.

“The Mediterranean continually gives us precious elements for the reconstruction of our history linked to maritime trade, the types of boats, the transport carried out,’’ said the superintendent of the sea of the Sicilian region, Valeria Li Vigni, who launched the expedition. “Now we will know more about life on board and the relationships between coastal populations.’’

A few weeks ago, Sicilian archeologists discovered another wreck: an ancient Roman ship about 70 metres deep near the island of Ustica. That ship also carried a huge load of amphorae, containing wine dating back to the second century BC.

The findings will shed light on Rome’s trade activity in the Mediterranean, where the Romans traded spices, wine, olives and other products in north Africa, Spain, France and the Middle East.

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