2,000-Year-Old Shipwreck Found Off Coast Of Italy; Sealed Jars Meant For Roman Markets Still Intact [VIDEO]

By Jeff Stone | August 08 2012 10:14 PM

Italian divers have found the remains of a ship that is thought to have sunk as long as 2,000 years ago. The wreck, in the waters off the city of Genoa, contains hundreds of clay jars that were used for shipping oil, olives, different types of wine and other kinds of food. Divers went to the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea because fishermen in the area reported catching pieces of clay pots and other tools in their nets, according to The Telegraph.

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Italian divers have found the remains of a ship that is thought to have sunk as long as 2,000 years ago. The wreck, which is located in the waters near the city of Genoa, contains hundreds of clay jars that were used for shipping oil, olives, different types of wine and other kinds of food. Divers went to the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea because fisherman in the area reported catching pieces of clay pots and other tools in their nets.

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The remnants of the Roman ship were found by an underwater rover 200 feet below the surface. The scuba unit said that the upper section of the remains show evidence that the amphorae (clay jugs) had been damaged by fishing but a lower section of the wreck site appeared in surprisingly good condition. Roman merchants used amphorae in the years between the first century B.C. and the second century A.D.

Several hundred jars and pots have remained intact and scuba divers said some of them even seened to have remained sealed, which would let scientists analyze the actual cargo that was being shipped by Romans. Divers said that although they've only brought one jar to the surface, the BBC reports that based on what they've seen the rest of the site appears to be "remarkably well-preserved."

Genoa is located on the northwestern coast of Italy and, because of its location, acted as the crossroads between the Mediterranean and Europe, according to ItalyTravelEscape.com. As a Roman city, Genoa was destroyed by Hannibal and the Carthaginians during the Second Punic War but by the Middle Ages was a maritime power that rivaled Venice and Pisa.

The shipwreck found this week is similar to another that was found down the coast off Tuscany in 1989. The New Scientist reported it was found to be carrying intact medicine that dated from 130 B.C. The pill-like substances were made up of herbal remedies that drew from plants like celery to hibiscus.

Police reported that the remains of the ship off the coast of Genoa are being monitored and protected from any potential vandals. You can watch divers investigate the find in the videos below.