A team of Italian divers has identified a significant Roman shipwreck submerged in the waters off the coast of Sicily, according to official reports. The vessel, estimated to date back to the first or second century B.C., was located approximately three miles from Mazara del Vallo, a city on the island’s western shoreline. Alessandro Giuli, Italy’s minister of culture, characterized the find as one of the most substantial underwater archaeological discoveries to emerge in recent years.
The site was initially spotted by fisherman Giacomo De Mola and his diving team while they were conducting a sonar survey of the seafloor. De Mola noted that the wreckage initially appeared as “what looked like an ordinary rock,” but his curiosity prompted a closer inspection. Upon investigation, the team revealed an extensive collection of amphorae—ancient clay jars traditionally used by Greek and Roman societies for the transport and storage of commodities such as olive oil and wine.
Video footage released by the Italian Ministry of Culture captures the scale of the site, showing hundreds of these vessels resting on the seabed. Preliminary assessments by experts indicate that the debris field of amphorae measures roughly 70 feet in length, 20 feet in width, and stands over 6 feet high. Following the discovery, the team alerted the Sicilian Region’s Superintendency of the Sea, the public authority responsible for managing marine archaeological sites in the area.
Reflecting on the experience, De Mola expressed the profound nature of the encounter, stating, “It is hard to describe the feeling of being among the first humans in nearly twenty centuries to see that place again.” He further described the find as the most incredible discovery of his life. The site now remains under the oversight of regional authorities as they continue to document and analyze the historical significance of the cargo and the remains of the ancient vessel.
Divers located it about 3 miles off the coast of Mazara del Vallo, a city on the western coast of Sicily.