Magnificent ancient treasure discovered on a wreck from 1600 years ago! - photo + video gallery

In the waters surrounding Israel near the entrance to the historic port of Caesarea, two divers made a wonderful discovery by accident. During the dive they managed to come across the wreck of a commercial vessel dating back 1600 years! During further exploration, significant quantities of ancient coins and, among other things, beautiful sculptures and other decorative objects were found at the indicated location. The Israel Antiquities Authority – IAA has reported that this is the largest such find in 30 years!

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Two divers, Ran Feinstein and Ofer Ra’anan, who made this extraordinary discovery during a recreational dive a few weeks ago, immediately informed the relevant authorities about the find. Then, while exploring the ancient wreck, the archaeologists managed to come across a real treasure!

Among the objects found are large quantities of coins concentrated in two piles weighing about 20 kg. As can be seen on the photographs, the coins are joined together in a way which suggests that they were transported in some kind of ceramic vessels.

The find includes a bronze lamp, which was decorated with the image of Sol, the god of the sun. There are also fragments of bronze sculptures and figurines and a figurine representing the goddess of the moon – Luna, as well as another lamp, this time with the image of an African slave. Apart from the above mentioned large quantities of coins, the archaeologists also managed to excavate a tap in the shape of a boar with a swan placed on its head, various pieces of equipment and an anchor. All the objects found have been identified as coming from the late Roman period.

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According to preliminary findings, the ship crashed into nearby rocks while attempting to enter the port during a storm.

“A large merchant ship was carrying a cargo of metals to be melted down. Apparently, just at the entrance to the port, it encountered a strong storm on its way and, damaged, drifted until it sank.”-said Jacob Sharvit, head of the Maritime Archaeology Department at the Israel Antiquities Authority

The wreck itself probably belonged to a large merchant ship, whose cargo consisted of objects to be melted down. That is why the items found are of such extraordinary value, because in ancient times old or damaged objects were melted down and the material was reused. This is why relatively few of them have survived to the present day.

“When we manage to find artefacts made of bronze, it is usually an item recovered from the sea. Since all these items went down with the ship, this saved them from being destroyed in the recycling process of the time.” – Sharvit further explained

As the archaeologists themselves point out, the objects that have been recovered from the ancient wreck are in an excellent state of preservation. On many of the coins found, the image of the emperor Constantine, who ruled the Western Roman Empire from 312 to 324 and later became known as Constantine the Great, ruler of the Roman Empire from 324 to 337, is clearly visible. On some of the coins, the image of the emperor Licinius, who ruled Eastern Rome from 308 to 324 and was Constantine’s direct rival, has also been identified.

As for the lucky discoverers, they will receive a certificate of recognition for reporting their discovery and will be taken on a tour of the archaeological collections containing national cultural treasures.

Source: israelnationalnews.com