According to an article published in The Travel, the wreckage of an old Roman cargo ship dating as far back as a century BC has been discovered in Greek waters, yielding a payload that includes 6,000 pots of food and well-preserved wine.
A significant find of the decade
The vessel, discovered by scientists using sonar technology, has been declared a significant find in that it will help researchers trace the history of Mediterranean shipping lanes back when the Roman Empire was in its prime.
Perfect condition
Roughly 6,000 pots called amphorae, recognized for their jug-like appearance that includes narrow necks and two handles, were found on the 110-foot sunken ship, almost all of them in perfect condition. Roughly half the boat is buried by sand and sediment near the fishing municipality of Fiskardo on Kefalonia, an island located just west of the Greek mainland.
Researchers hope to excavate the rest of the wooden ship in the future to see what other secrets lay beneath the surface, but already the find is seen as a breakthrough, given that the vessel is in remarkably good condition. Three other shipwrecks were also previously discovered, but none of them had anywhere near the amount of cargo as this one. Two of the previous finds revealed that the wrecks were not only heavily damaged, but had also been looted.
Significant structures
Its location near Kefalonia, suggests that Fiskardo may have played heavily as a port for Roman sailors since significant structures like a Roman tomb, cemetery, and buildings facilitating baths were also found on the island. It suggests that the ancient docking site was a major stop for seafaring transporters of such goods as wine, grains, oil, and olives heading back to Rome to deliver the cargo.
The discovery is a result of a research program conducted by the University of Patras in Greece that started in 2014 and involved a number of archaeologists and geophysicists. The team, onboard the research vessel Socrates, used the latest in high-resolution sonar and data acquisition gear to help differentiate between man-made structures and natural surroundings on the Mediterranean seabed.
Further insight
Besides getting further insight into trade routes, scientists hope to use the discover to learn more about Roman shipbuilding and cargo storage and find out what sunk the ship in the first place.
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Source: TheTravel
