2,000-Year-Old Completely Preserved Shipwreck With Amphorae Found Near Šćedro Island

Jan Bartek - AncientPages.com - In the waters surrounding Šćedro Island, an extraordinary discovery has been made – a completely preserved, previously undiscovered shipwreck dating back to the 3rd century B.C., carrying a cargo of ancient amphorae. This remarkable find sheds light on maritime trade and transportation during that era. Furthermore, as part of the cooperation plan between the Croatian Navy and the Navy of the Italian Republic, joint training exercises for mine countermeasure divers from both naval forces took place in the central Adriatic Sea.

Credit: Ministry of Culture Croatia

The Croatian Navy conducted joint mine countermeasure training exercises with the Italian Navy. During the first week, anti-mine procedures and the use of autonomous and remotely controlled underwater vehicles were practiced in the waters around the island of Ciovo. In the second week, diving activities took place in the waters surrounding the island of Hvar.

The Navy exercise also provided an opportunity to enhance collaboration with other government agencies and scientific institutions. Taking into account the potential for underwater archaeological sites, the location around the Šćedro Island was chosen based on information from the Ministry of Culture and Media about existing and potential shipwrecks in the area, as well as the possibility of conducting operations in adverse weather conditions.

The activity was conducted with the Ministry of Defense, the Conservation Department in Split of the Ministry of Culture and Media, and the University of Split. Once the perimeter of the search area was established, a multi-layered recording (scanning) of the seabed commenced.

By processing the obtained data and reviewing the recorded material, several potential "contacts" (positions) that could represent archaeological sites (shipwrecks) were identified. These target positions were then inspected using an underwater ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicle) equipped with a smaller sonar and camera, or joint teams of Croatian and Italian anti-mine divers immediately performed dives to determine the context of the findings. Inspecting one such position led to the remarkable discovery of a completely preserved ancient shipwreck that had not been previously discovered.

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Underwater archaeologists Saša Denegri of the Ministry of Culture and Media and Tea Katunaric Kirjakov of the University of Split conducted dives at the location. Their findings revealed a completely preserved, previously undiscovered shipwreck dating back to the 3rd century B.C. The wreck, lying at a depth of 50 meters, contained a cargo of ancient amphorae. Considering the site's age and remarkable preservation, it is one of the earliest fully intact shipwrecks discovered along the eastern Adriatic coast.

Future archaeological research will determine the exact context, distribution, and characteristics of the site. Based on these findings, plans for the site's protection, conservation, and presentation will be formulated.

Written by Jan Bartek - AncientPages.com Staff Writer