Exceptionally Preserved Roman Shipwreck Excavated In Croatia

After four and a half years of meticulous underwater excavation, maritime archaeologists have completed the documentation of one of the most remarkably preserved Roman shipwrecks ever discovered in the Adriatic Sea. The 2,000-year-old vessel, measuring 12.5 meters (41 ft) in length, will now be reburied in the protective sand that safeguarded its timbers for two millennia.

The discovery near Sukošan, Croatia, has provided unprecedented insights into Roman maritime construction techniques and trade networks. What makes this find extraordinary is the preservation of the ship’s upper works – elements rarely found intact in ancient shipwrecks – offering archaeologists a complete picture of Roman naval architecture from the 1st-2nd century AD.

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Completely exposed timber structure of the Roman shipwreck showing exceptional preservation. (M. Kaleb/ICUA)