A Roman cargo ship dating to the 2nd–1st century BC has been found three miles off Mazara del Vallo, Sicily, at about 46m depth. The wreck lies amid hundreds of intact amphorae — mostly Dressel 1A jars that carried wine and possibly oil — and contains two lead anchors. Freediver Giacomo De Mola first reported the site; specialist Carabinieri divers have inspected it and marine archaeologists will conduct systematic study. The discovery sheds new light on ancient Mediterranean trade and follows other recent underwater finds in the region.
Divers Unearth 2,000-Year-Old Roman Cargo Ship Packed With Amphorae Off Sicily
The shipwreck dates back to the second or first century BC
Divers have located the remains of a Roman merchant vessel dating to the 2nd–1st century BC, lying about three miles off Mazara del Vallo on Sicily's west coast. The wreck rests at roughly 46m (150ft) and is surrounded by hundreds of intact ceramic jars, or amphorae, plus a pair of lead anchors that point to the ship's role as a cargo vessel rather than a warship.
Discovery and first impressions
The site was first reported by Giacomo De Mola, a freediver and fisherman, who detected an unusual structure on his echo sounder. He described seeing a "huge expanse of amphorae — hundreds of them, all perfectly intact" and realizing he might be the first person to view the wreck in two millennia.
"This is without doubt the most amazing discovery of my life," De Mola wrote on social media.
What the wreck contains
Most of the jars have been identified as Dressel 1A amphorae: tall vessels with sloping shoulders and long handles that were widely used to transport wine across the Roman Mediterranean. Archaeologists say many of the amphorae likely held wine and possibly oil when the ship foundered, probably during a storm.
Specialist divers with the police are to explore the site - Carabinieri via AFP
Two lead anchors recovered at the site further support the identification of the wreck as a merchant ship. The vessel and its cargo offer a well-preserved snapshot of ancient maritime trade and provisioning.
Response and significance
Specialist divers from the Carabinieri and police teams have explored and recorded the site, and marine archaeologists are expected to perform systematic dives to map, document and conserve the finds. Italy's culture minister, Alessandro Giuli, called the discovery "one of the most important underwater archaeological discoveries of recent years," noting that such wrecks deepen our understanding of trade routes and the cultural exchanges that made the Mediterranean an ancient crossroads.
"The sea continues to reveal precious fragments of our history," said Minister Alessandro Giuli.
Context and related finds
The Sicilian find follows other high-profile discoveries in the region. In 2024, divers recovered a 3rd-century BC bronze ram from the bow of a warship near the Egadi Islands, linked to the decisive Battle of the Aegates (241 BC) that helped end the First Punic War. In 2023, another Roman merchant vessel laden with amphorae was located off Civitavecchia, north of Rome.
Ongoing study of the Mazara del Vallo wreck will include detailed mapping, conservation of recovered artifacts, residue and isotopic analysis of the amphorae to pinpoint contents and origin, and efforts to establish the ship's provenance and the circumstances of its loss.
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