An ancient shipwreck off the coast of Tuscany, Italy, is giving researchers fresh insight into how Greek and Etruscan traders moved goods across the Mediterranean more than 2,500 years ago.
The wreck, discovered in 1961 in the Bay of Campese on the island of Giglio, dates back to the early 6th century BC, sometime between 580 and 570 BC.
The new findings come from a study published in the Journal of Cultural Heritage, led by Cecilia Riccardizi of the University of Bologna’s Department of Physics and Astronomy.
The ship was excavated in the 1980s by Mensun Bound, who later became a well-known underwater archaeologist. His team found structural pieces of the vessel along with a cargo unlike almost anything else found from that era.
The goods came from many different places, including both Greek and Etruscan workshops. That mix shows just how connected trade networks were across the Tyrrhenian Sea at the time.
Researchers decode the ship’s damaged iron cargo
Among the cargo, archaeologists recovered several iron objects. Centuries underwater had corroded and damaged them so badly that their original shapes were impossible to identify by eye.
To solve that problem, researchers turned to computed tomography, the same kind of imaging used in hospitals to see inside the human body.
Two rounds of scanning took place at the University of Bologna’s Ravenna Campus. Scientists used a custom-built CT system with a powerful X-ray tube and a high-resolution detector.
They ran more than 20 scans, capturing details as small as a tenth of a millimeter. Researchers also used X-ray fluorescence to study the chemical makeup of the objects, adding another layer of evidence.
New research on an ancient shipwreck sheds light on Greek and Etruscan trade routes from over 2,500 years ago. pic.twitter.com/L1GbOsoMjl
— Tom Marvolo Riddle (@tom_riddle2025) June 29, 2026
The scans let researchers digitally strip away the thick layers of mineral buildup that had formed around the iron pieces. Underneath, they found square-shaped outlines where solid metal cores once sat. In most cases, corrosion had eaten away nearly all of that metal, leaving only a fragile mineral shell behind.
Ancient shipwreck findings link Greek and Etruscan trade routes
Riccardizi said the imaging approach made it possible to study the artifacts closely without touching or cleaning them, something that could have destroyed what little material remained.
She said this kind of non-invasive method matters most in underwater archaeology, where physical handling often causes more harm than good.
The research team said the discovery shows how imaging technology and archaeology together can reveal the story of an ancient shipwreck carrying both Greek and Etruscan goods across the sea.
Scientists said studying the cargo helps map out the trade routes that linked port cities thousands of years ago.
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