Archaeologists have found the wreckage of an ancient Roman cargo ship off the coast of Italy, dating back to the 1st or 2nd Century BC. The ship was discovered near the port of Civitavecchia, laden with hundreds of mostly intact Roman terracotta jars called amphorae.

The ship, estimated to be over 20 meters long, was found 160 meters below sea level on a sandy seabed. The discovery is considered significant, shedding light on old maritime trading routes. The relic was located and filmed using a remotely operated robot by the Carabinieri police’s art squad, responsible for protecting Italy’s cultural heritage. It remains unclear whether experts will attempt to recover the ship or its precious cargo from the sea floor.

Amphorae were commonly used to transport goods such as oil, wine, or fish sauce, and similar artifacts are frequently found in the ancient eastern Mediterranean region. While finding shipwrecks in the Mediterranean is not uncommon, this discovery adds to the wealth of historical knowledge about ancient maritime trade.