The well-preserved remains of a Roman shipwreck have finally been uncovered in the waters of Sukosan, Croatia.
The team of maritime archaeologists has completed the final excavation season at the site. They have recorded every detail before returning it to the sand that preserved its timbers for nearly two thousand years. The wreck lies at a very shallow depth, little more than 2m/6.4ft below the sea surface.
This season is the culmination of an investigation that began four and a half years ago when the International Centre for Underwater Archaeology in Zadar identified a timber fragment with an iron nail while surveying the ancient Roman harbor of Barbir.
Summer excavations expanded after 30 Roman bronze coins were found in the area in 2022. Those surveys uncovered an intact wooden vessel measuring 12.5 meters (41 feet) in length with a beam of 3 meters (10 feet), dated to the first or second century AD.
This season’s work completed the careful exposure of the hull and, unusually, revealed parts of the vessel’s upper works, a rare survival in ancient wrecks. Analysis of construction techniques indicates a robust build capable of carrying heavy loads over medium to long distances, consistent with coastal and regional trade in the Roman period.
The excavation team is producing high-resolution photogrammetric models to ensure precise digital documentation of the site and intends to create a 1:10 scale model for display at the Zadar Museum of Underwater Archaeology.
The team made numerous discoveries during the excavation, including a coin from the reign of Emperor Trajan and several amphoras likely associated with the crew or cargo. Organic remains, such as hundreds of olive pits, grape seeds, peach stones and walnut shells. These shed light on the ship’s provisions and trade connections.
For more information on the find, go to the Zadar Museum of Underwater Archaeology’s website.
(Featured Image credit: R. Scholz/Zadar Museum of Underwater Archaeology)
