The wreck of an ancient Roman ship has been found in Italy

The wreck of an ancient Roman ship has been found in the waters of the Adriatic Sea, near the town of Grado in Italy.

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The wreck of an ancient ship from Roman times was found by workers from the Udine Cultural Heritage Protection Unit. They located the site at a depth of 5m in the waters of the Adriatic Sea between Grado and the Timavo estuary. Officials investigating the site described the shipwreck as a large vessel.

Carabinieri from the Cultural Heritage Protection Unit in Udine have found the remains of a previously undiscovered Roman ship. The discovery came as part of the periodic inspection of submerged archaeological sites that Tpc carabinieri carry out in the country. The soldiers monitored a vast stretch of water between Grado and the Timavo estuary, in collaboration with the Genoa diving centre, the Trieste superintendency and the University of Udine – informed officials.

Ancient Roman shipwreck from Grado

The wreck, which was found, is at a depth of about 5 metres and is mostly buried. Preliminary investigations have allowed researchers to determine that the vessel dates back to the Roman period. In a statement provided, officials said that the vessel was built using the so-called ‘mortise-tenon’ technique.

The part of the hull that is above the bottom measures 12.2 metres in length. In contrast, based on the shape of the exposed structure, it can be assumed that the wreck is at least twice as long. The width of the vessel was estimated by the researchers to be no less than 8 metres.

The researchers continued their search in the Canale delle Mee di Grado, the historic entrance to the river port of Aquileia. At this location, they discovered two ‘Lamboglia 2’ type amphorae measuring 60 x 35 cm, dating to the 1st century BC. At the site they also found other small artefacts in the form of a jug neck and an amphora neck dating to the 2nd to 3rd century.

The latest discovery is yet another case where an ancient shipwreck from the Roman period has been discovered in the Grado area. The most famous discovery to date is the 2nd century shipwreck of the Iulia Felix. The vessel sank in the Adriatic Sea about 6 miles from the island of Grado with a cargo of 560 amphorae. The vessels have survived to modern times in almost intact condition.

Photo Roman shipwreck found between Grado and the Timavo estuary – Carabinieri – TPC Udine Unit

Without a doubt, Sweden is famous for its magnificent wrecks that rest at the bottom of the Baltic Sea. One of them is the magnificent Bodekull warship wreck from the 17th century, which we visited in 2021. You will read more about it in issue 19 the DIVERS24 quarterly magazine! The digital version of the magazine is available free of charge, while you can purchase the printed version in our online shop.