Secrets of 'Exceptional' Roman Shipwreck Revealed by Marine Archaeologists

A study has yielded fascinating new insights into an "exceptional" Roman-era shipwreck in the Mediterranean Sea.

The stricken vessel lies more than 200 feet off the coast of Mallorca, one of Spain's Balearic Islands, at a depth of just over six feet.

The "Ses Fontanelles" wreck, which covers an area of approximately 39 feet long by 16 feet wide, and its cargo are in an "excellent" state of preservation. It features numerous amphorae—a type of ancient container vessel.

"The excellent state of preservation of the hull and the cargo, including amphorae with painted inscriptions, and its location in shallow waters offshore of one of the main touristic beaches of the island makes this a unique finding in the Mediterranean," wrote the authors of the study, published in the journal Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences.

The shipwreck was found accidentally in 2019, and rescue excavations were subsequently conducted in the summer of that year.

"Soon they realized the exceptional state of preservation of the cargo and of the hull of the vessel. After a first evaluation and the excavation of a section of the shipwreck, corresponding to the bow, the rest of the remains were left in situ and covered again," the authors wrote.

The first season of excavations and the study of the recovered materials helped to classify the ceramic findings, but several questions remained, such as the vessel's origin. As a result, the study's authors decided to analyze the remains to shed light on these questions.

According to the team, the vessel transported the cargo around the 4th century, a period for which little is known about commercial activities in the Western Mediterranean.

The team's approach involved an examination of the amphorae and their ancient contents via an organic residue analysis.

"Finally, a first set of wood remains from the hull, plants found between the cargo, and bark used as stoppers to seal the amphorae were also studied to understand the use of vegetal resources and to shed light into the species used in shipbuilding," the authors said.

These investigations suggest that the boat probably departed from the area of Cartagena in the southeastern part of the Iberian Peninsula. The study also found that the vessel was carrying a cargo of fish sauce, oil and wine transported in three main types of amphorae.

Analysis of the wood revealed a particular selection of materials, as is known in Roman shipbuilding.

The shipbuilders appear to have used pine for longitudinal parts of the hull, while for other areas of the vessel, they selected harder woods, such as those from the olive tree, the bay tree, and the cypress family. The team also found that grapevine branches, and those from other plants, were used as padding to protect the cargo during the journey.

"The results help to shed some light into different aspects of this unique vessel sunk in Mallorcan waters and contributes to show the benefit of applying archaeological sciences in maritime archaeology," the authors said.

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