2,000-Year-Old Roman Shipwreck Discovered off Sicily's Coast

▲ Jars discovered at the shipwreck site off the coast of Sicily

An ancient Roman shipwreck, estimated to be more than 2,000 years old, has been discovered off the coast of Sicily, Italy.

The shipwreck was found in the sea about 4.8 kilometers off the coast of Mazara del Vallo in Sicily.

A fisherman, who also works as a freediver, accidentally found the shipwreck while exploring the seabed near Mazara del Vallo and reported it to the police.

Divers from the cultural heritage protection team of the Palermo Police Headquarters subsequently discovered the vessel, which measures about 21 meters in length and 6 meters in width, at a depth of 46 meters.

Hundreds of jars, believed to have been used for transporting goods such as wine and olive oil, were found in the shipwreck.

The Italian Ministry of Culture stated that the shipwreck appears to have been built in the 2nd or 1st century BC.

Italian Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli said the shipwreck is "one of the most important archaeological discoveries in recent years."

Italian authorities plan to conduct investigations into the shipwreck while taking security measures to protect the heritage site.

It is estimated that similar ancient shipwrecks are scattered throughout the Mediterranean seabed.

Previously in 2023, a vessel estimated to have been built in the 1st to 2nd century BC was also discovered northwest of Rome.

(Photo: AFP, Yonhap News)

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