Ancient Roman anchor found in Mediterranean waters

In Italy, underwater archaeologists have found an ancient artefact in the form of a Roman anchor. They located the find on the bottom in the Strait of St Boniface.

Italian underwater archaeologists have announced the location of a magnificent find that is 1,400 years old. It is an ancient Roman anchor made of iron that they found on the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea in the Strait of Saint Boniface.

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Interestingly, the ancient artefact was found by accident. Marine biologist Yuri Donno was diving for a lost engine when he came across an unusual object. After initial examination, he realised he had just found a very old anchor made of metal. He informed the police in Cagliari of his discovery and archaeologists.

At one point I looked at one point and something caught my eye. At first I thought it was an iron pylon, but then I understood. My heart started beating harder, like when you realise you have found a treasure. This is not the first time I have discovered something during my dives, but this anchor really impressed me – said Yuri Donno

He then returned to the surface, to his boat, and marked the location with GPS. Upon returning to land, he informed marine archaeologist Alessandro Porqueddu of his unusual find.

Not just an anchor

The ancient artefact that Donno found is in itself a wonderful find and is further evidence of the region’s incredibly rich history. But that is not all. A few hundred metres away was located ancient wreck along with a large load of pottery in the form of amphorae. The researchers determined that the find dates back to the late Roman period.

According to available information, the ancient Roman anchor will remain underwater. The discovered monument is located at a depth of several metres and is unfortunately so delicate that it would be destroyed. Instead, the researchers want to leave it in place, where, once examined, it will please the eyes of divers and freedivers.

A number of interesting underwater discoveries have been made in the St Boniface Strait area in recent years. Archaeologists have highlighted that the area is full of traces of the region’s ancient past and is a wonderful and still not fully explored resource.