Archaeologists discover 2,500-year-old shipwreck near Sicily's coast

An archaic shipwreck, dating between the 6th and 5th centuries BCE, has been uncovered near Santa Maria del Focallo, a coastal area in Ispica, Sicily, according to ANSA, and GreekReporter.

The first clues about the ship's sinking emerged in January 2022 when fishermen from Avola, in the Syracuse area, reported the presence of possible objects on the seabed of the Vendicari Wildlife Oasis Nature Reserve, Scienze Notizie notes.

Following this discovery, the Underwater Archaeology Unit of the University of Udine conducted excavations and documentation of the wreck for three weeks. The research was supported by the third Diving Unit of the Coast Guard of Messina and the Port Authority of Pozzallo.

Studies on the sunken ship are ongoing, coordinated by Italy's Superintendency of the Sea. Technical and construction studies have been initiated on the archaic vessel as part of the fifth phase of the Kaukana Project, which began in 2017. The project focuses on studying the coastal and underwater areas between Ispica, Kaukana, and Kamarina.

Many amphorae were found at the site, along with basins, wide-mouthed jars, braziers, baking trays, askoi, pithoi, and common household utensils. Some amphorae were found aligned, presumably in their original position on the ship, suggesting a ship’s cargo.

The research team believes that the amphorae found on the ship were loaded with alum, a natural chemical compound. Alum was very likely extracted and marketed by the inhabitants of the island of Lipari, located a little more than 200 km from Syracuse. At that time, alum was used in textile production to fix dyes in fabrics. It played a fundamental role in the Mediterranean economy of the era.

Researchers collected samples from the site, which will be studied to learn more about the plants and materials used to build the ship. The analysis of the samples will also give clues about the environment where the ship once sailed.

There is a possibility that the rest of the ship is intact, buried under sediments accumulated over the centuries, according to Scienze Notizie. Despite the long time since the incident, the ship's cargo has remained largely intact, partially covered by the seabed.

"The wreck is an extraordinary testimony of a crucial historical period, between archaic and classical Greece, highlighting the trade and commerce that marked the Mediterranean long before the rise of Rome," said Massimo Capulli, coordinator of the Kaukana Project, according to ANSA.

The excavation of the wreck was complicated by weather conditions, as noted by Massimo Capulli, according to ANSA.

Two Byzantine anchors and four lithic anchors were found at the site. Nearby, researchers discovered various types of anchors, including four lithic anchors, some of which seem to belong to a prehistoric type.

Although carbon dating of the materials has not been completed, experts suggest that the shipwreck dates back to the end of the 1st century B.C. or the beginning of the Augustan age (from 31 BCE to 14 CE).

This article was written in collaboration with generative AI company Alchemiq