Spearfisherman scanning the seabed accidentally discovers 2,000-year-old Roman shipwreck.
Italian divers located a Roman ship from about 2,100 years ago off Sicily, loaded with hundreds of well-preserved clay jars, after a tip from fishermen including spearfisher Giacomo De Mola.
Italian divers have found the wreck of a Roman ship off the coast of Sicily, with hundreds of well-preserved ancient clay jars, called amphorae, stacked on board. The jars were likely used to carry wine.
The wreck lies about three miles off Mazara del Vallo, at a depth of roughly 150 feet. Divers from the cultural heritage protection arm of Palermo's police said on Saturday that they had located it after a tip-off from fishermen. The ship is thought to date to between the 2nd and 1st centuries BC.
Italy's Culture Minister, Alessandro Giuli, described the find as "one of the most important underwater archaeological discoveries of recent years." The Ministry of Culture shared the announcement on August 8, 2026, along with video footage of the site.
One of the fishermen, Giacomo De Mola, described the discovery in an Instagram post. He said he saw something on his boat's underwater scanner that looked like a rock, but he decided to dive and check anyway. "Below me was a vast expanse of amphorae," he wrote. He said he reported the find immediately to the Superintendent of the sea of the Sicilian Region.
De Mola also wrote that it was hard to explain what it felt like to be among the first people in almost twenty centuries to see the place again.
Local media reported that the ship measures about 21 meters long and 6 meters wide. According to the report, it was mostly carrying Dressel 1A amphorae, a tall, cylindrical type that was mainly used to transport wine.
Note: The page gives the age as 2,100 years, not 2,000. It also says police divers located the wreck after a tip-off from fishermen, with De Mola describing his own dive, rather than a single spearfisherman making the find alone.
At a Glance
- The wreck lies about three miles off Mazara del Vallo, Sicily, at a depth of roughly 150 feet.
- The ship is thought to date to the 2nd or 1st century BC, making it about 2,100 years old.
- Local media reported the vessel is about 21 meters long and 6 meters wide.
- Most of the cargo was Dressel 1A amphorae, mainly used to carry wine.
- Italy's Ministry of Culture announced the find on August 8, 2026.
Sources
This brief was written by Brightside Report from the reporting linked above. Spot an error? Request a correction.