First century wreck found in Albania

A wonderful archaeological discovery was made in the waters of the Adriatic Sea. Divers have found there a Roman wreck from the 1st century, most probably carrying a cargo of wine, which was supposed to reach European markets from local vineyards. The discovery was made at a depth of 50m, near the port city of

ByTomasz Andrukajtis

Published: August 24, 2011 - 10:07

Updated: July 22, 2023 - 07:06

Shipwreck

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The discovery was made at a depth of 50m, near the port city of Vlora, located about 150km southwest of the country’s capital Tirana.

In the hold of the 30m wreck, a cargo of amphorae was discovered which, surprisingly, were mostly preserved in excellent condition, but unfortunately the corks securing the contents did not stand the test of time and it floated out to sea.

The RPM Nautical Foundation, located in Florida, has been exploring the unexplored coastal waters of the area for the past 5 years. As a result of the work done, 20 wrecks have been located so far, including some from modern times.

“Considering the age of the find and the depth, I would consider this wreck one of the 10 most interesting found in the waters of this area,” said Adrian Anastasi, an Albanian archaeologist involved in the mission.

The team members took one of the amphorae with them for further research. The site of the discovery, is kept strictly secret and will not be revealed until the archaeological work is completed.

Source: thedrinksbusiness.com

About author

Tomasz Andrukajtis

Editor-in-chief of the DIVERS24 portal and magazine. Responsible for obtaining, translating and developing content. He also supervises all publications. Achived his first diving certification – P1 CMAS, in 2000. Has a degree in journalism and social communication. In the diving industry since 2008.