Divers discover 2,100-year-old Roman shipwreck off Sicily with hundreds of amphorae

The discovery

An Italian freediver and spearfishing champion, Giacomo De Mola, was exploring the waters off southwestern Sicily with his diving partner Igor Bisulli when sonar revealed an underwater structure he initially mistook for a rock. Visibility was poor, but De Mola pressed closer and realized he was looking at a vast field of ancient amphorae, the clay vessels with two handles used by ancient Greeks, Romans, and Phoenicians to store and transport goods. The wreck lies approximately 3 miles (about 5 kilometers) off the coast of Mazara del Vallo, at a depth of 46 meters (151 feet). De Mola recounted the moment in a social media post accompanied by video from the site.

“Visibility was not the best. I swam closer. And my heart stopped. Below me stretched a huge field of amphorae.”

He called the find "the most incredible discovery of my life" and reached out to an expert, who connected him with Sicilian authorities. Officials soon visited the site and confirmed its historical significance. De Mola later reflected on the experience in a post describing what it felt like to encounter the ancient vessel.

“It is hard to describe the feeling of being among the first humans in nearly twenty centuries to see that place again. The sea never ceases to surprise us. This time, we found more than just a shipwreck. We found a piece of our history.”

The wreck and its cargo

The shipwreck dates to between the 2nd and 1st centuries BC, making it roughly 2,000 to 2,100 years old. The amphorae mound measures about 21 meters (70 feet) long, 6 meters (20 feet) wide, and 2 meters (6.5 feet) tall. According to the Polish daily Rzeczpospolita, approximately 500 amphorae have been identified on board. Most are of the Dressel 1A type, a form typically associated with the late Roman Republic and commonly used to transport wine, though amphorae were also used for olive oil and grain. Two large lead anchors and a lead pipe were also found at the site. Many of the ceramic vessels appear to remain intact.

Length21

Width6

Height2

Length

21 m

Width

6 m

Height

2 m

Data from the article text

Official response

Italy's Carabinieri heritage protection unit took charge of securing the site, examining it with divers and underwater cameras. Sicilian authorities have already created a 3D survey of the wreck. Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli issued a statement on Saturday, August 8, calling the find one of the most important underwater archaeological discoveries of recent years.

“The sea continues to yield precious fragments of our history, and the Mazara del Vallo shipwreck speaks to us of the people, the routes, and the exchanges that made the Mediterranean a crossroads of civilizations.”

What happens next

Extended scientific investigations are slated to continue in the coming days. In the coming months, the Sicilian cultural heritage office is expected to begin the next stage of documentation and research. Archaeologists aim to establish a more precise date for the sinking, the origin and destination of the cargo, and the exact circumstances of the wreck. Giuli added that research will continue to uncover the ship's history and share it with the community. The Dressel 1A amphorae are considered a valuable source of information for reconstructing trade networks linking Italy with other parts of the Mediterranean basin during the late Republican period. Similar discoveries have occurred in the Mediterranean before: a Roman ship filled with amphorae was found in 2023, and in 2018 a Greek merchant vessel over 2,400 years old was discovered off the coast of Bulgaria.