A Roman shipwreck dating to the second or first century BC has been discovered off the coast of Mazara del Vallo, a port city in western Sicily, in what officials are calling a major archaeological find.
The wreck lies at a depth of 46 metres, roughly three nautical miles offshore, and appears exceptionally well preserved. The seabed is strewn with hundreds of amphorae, primarily of the Dressel 1A type widely used during the Roman Republic, along with two lead anchor stocks and another lead component.
The discovery followed a tip from a citizen and was confirmed by a joint operation involving the Carabinieri's cultural heritage protection unit and specialist divers. Italian Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli described it as one of the most significant underwater archaeological discoveries in recent years. Sicily's maritime heritage authority will now carry out further documentation to establish the full archaeological context and implement protection measures.