Italian divers have rediscovered a suspected Roman shipwreck off Italy’s Ligurian coast, 67 years after its first discovery in 1959. The remains lie more than 40 meters (131 feet) beneath the Mediterranean Sea near Punta Chiappa, close to Camogli in northwestern Italy.
Archaeologists identified nine ancient wine containers dating to the late Roman Republic. The discovery offers new evidence of maritime trade along the Italian coast more than 2,000 years ago.
Divers discover ancient Roman wine containers
Members of the Carabinieri’s Genoa Underwater Unit located the site during a training exercise. They initially spotted a well-preserved Roman amphora, a large clay container used to transport wine and other goods. The divers alerted Liguria’s archaeological heritage authority, which organized further underwater investigations.
Archaeologists found nine amphorae among rocks along a steep underwater cliff. Thick marine deposits covered the containers, making them difficult to identify. The team recovered two amphorae because their exposed positions made them vulnerable to damage or theft.
Researchers believe the containers belonged to a Roman merchant vessel. However, they have not yet found evidence of the ship’s hull. A similar Roman shipwreck discovered off Sicily contained hundreds of Dressel 1A amphorae, the same type identified at Punta Chiappa.
Shipwreck first discovered in 1959
Italian underwater explorer Duilio Marcante first reported the site on Nov. 7, 1959, while diving with Carabinieri personnel. He discovered several amphorae trapped between rocks and noticed more objects partly buried beneath the seabed. Researchers returned in May 1960 but could not relocate the larger collection. They found one amphora tied with rope, raising concerns about possible illegal removal.
Difficult diving conditions prevented further investigations, and the site’s exact location remained uncertain for decades.
Ancient cargo reveals Roman trade connections
Simon Luca Trigona, head of Liguria’s underwater archaeology service, confirmed that the newly discovered artifacts matched Marcante’s original findings. He identified them as Dressel 1A wine amphorae produced in Italy’s Tyrrhenian region. Their design dates them to the late second century B.C. and early first century B.C., when Roman trade was expanding across the western Mediterranean. Genoa and other Ligurian ports played an increasingly important role in transporting Italian wine to distant markets.
Research on another Roman shipwreck near Sicily has also revealed evidence of regional production and Mediterranean trading networks.
Authorities plan further underwater research
Italian heritage officials plan to monitor the site and protect the remaining artifacts from unauthorized removal. Future investigations will examine nearby rocks and seabed sediments for additional cargo or structural remains. Similar discoveries, including a possible Roman shipwreck off Italy’s Elba Island, show how underwater investigations continue to uncover evidence of ancient maritime commerce.
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