The well-preserved ancient Roman ship was found in the strait that separates Sardinia from Corsica Photo: Polizia di Stato
Posted on 06/24/2015 8:48:04 PM PDT by SunkenCiv
A remarkably well-preserved ancient Roman ship has been discovered on the seabed off the coast of Sardinia.
The 2,000-year-old wreck was found at a depth of 150ft by a specialised diving unit of the Italian police, working in collaboration with archaeologists, in the strait that separates Sardinia from Corsica.
The ship was carrying a load of terracotta tiles, which are also in a good state of preservation.
The roof tiles, believed to have been produced in or around Rome, were packed into the hold of the vessel, which is 60ft long and 23ft wide.
They were probably going to be used in the construction of a villa for a senior Roman official or wealthy merchant, experts said.
“Given the location of the discovery, archaeologists believe that the vessel was destined for Spain or the west coast of Sardinia,” an official statement said, adding that the find was of “great scientific value”. The ship’s cargo was intact and “packed just as it was at the moment of departure”, the statement by the Sardinian authorities said.
The specialised diving unit of the Italian police collecting one of the tiles (Polizia di Stato) The weight of the load may have contributed to the ship capsizing.
“It’s a real treasure,” said Rubens D’Oriano, from Sardinia’s archaeological department.
“The cargo is very well preserved and has enormous value to scholars. We’re really pleased about this discovery.” The exact position of the wreck is being kept secret because of the threat of underwater looting.
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
The well-preserved ancient Roman ship was found in the strait that separates Sardinia from Corsica Photo: Polizia di Stato
a well preserved ship? Looks like a “wreck” to me!
kewl
One owner, slight hull damage. Ready to SELL! Call Flavius and make an offer.
Flavor Flav Favious
He’s got a deal for you!
Well, the roof, the roof, the roof was on fire, and it turns out they did need no water.
Flavor Flav Favious
The guy with the giant sundial on a chain
That inspired mental imagery that made me laugh.
The Med seafloor probably has hundreds or even thousands of ancient wrecks; here’s hoping at least one of them turns out to be one of the really large Roman-era haulers, possibly with the cargo still aboard. Caligula had 200-ton columns quarried in Egypt, and brought to Rome to build a temple to himself (it’s great to be king), it’s fun to speculate that at least one of those went down.
Alas, it is unlikely, since they were basically new-built and purpose-built; the ship he had made to haul that 300+ ton obelisk to Rome was a tourist attraction after its job was done, until his successor Claudius had the thing used as a form to pour a concrete mole for his harbor at Ostia. That ship is probably still there, buried nose down where the harbor used to be. The concrete would at least preserve a negative impression of it.
Actually at 150 feet it was below wave action. The wooden hull is mostly gone due to marine critters, think worms and bacteria. The cargo is very well preserved as it is ceramics. This is actually a very well preserved archeological find.
I don’t post or reply much, but I’d like you to know I really appreciate your threads.
That was my first thought when I saw the photo, but the article says those are roof tiles made in Rome, and were probably going to be used on a villa somewhere. The roof tiles survived remarkably well.
“I have the bets boat in Ostia! Right here” he glances back and the ship at port is on fire “Hottest deals right here!”
The crowd continues to ignore him.
“Come on I got 6 kids to feed and 3 baby mamas to pay alimony to....”
That’s funny right there.
Thanks!
“well-preserved” in a Diane Sawyer/lowlighting/Vaseline-smeared-on-the-lens kind of way...
Nice!
Let me know how you look in 2000 years. j/k
2000 year old boat in water. That is amazingly well preserved.
I look that old now.... ;)
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