Divers recently discovered a 2,400 year-old shipwreck off the coast of an island in Greece’s Cyclades, according to Greece’s Ministry of Culture.
According to reports, a “private individual” gave divers a tip on the wreck, and it was discovered between 128 and 144 feet underwater. Officials say the cargo included hundreds of “pointed-bottom commercial amphorae”— as many as 650. These were commonly used to transport goods including olive oil and wine, although it remains unclear what these particular artifacts were carrying.
Photos of the debris shows the containers in a heap on the sea floor.
According to Fox News, “Archaeologists identified three distinct types: Mende, Peparethos, and Solokha 2” and took one of each type for sampling.
“The chronological framework for these amphorae is set between the late 5th and early 4th centuries BC. A section of a lead anchor stock was also discovered at the shipwreck site, along with a small number of stones that may be associated with the ship’s ballast. Preliminary estimates indicate a count of approximately 600–650 amphorae,” a translation of the announcement from Greece’s Ministry of Culture reads.
“This particularly interesting find enriches our knowledge of trade and navigation during the Late Classical period. Further study of the find will obviously yield additional interesting information regarding both its cargo and its origin,” the translated release continues.
Fox News noted that divers also discovered “part of a lead anchor stock and several stones that may have been used as ballast to help stabilize the vessel.”
More photos can be found here.
This discovery follows another recent shipwreck discovery off the coast of Sicily. That discovery also involved “hundreds of clay amphora,” according to reports.
