A Corinthian shipwreck found in 2019 sheds light on the trade and history of inhabitants in the Magna Graecia area of Italy.
The ship, which was found submerged 780 metres below the Adriatic Sea in the Strait of Otranto, held Greek ceramics dating back 2700 years ago.
“The discovery offers us historical data that narrates the oldest stages of the Mediterranean trade at the dawn of Magna Graecia, and of the mobility flows in the Mediterranean basin,” director of Italian Museums Massimo Osanna said.
Twenty-two Corinthian ceramic vessels were uncovered, including three amphorae,10 skyphoi, four hydrias, three oinochoai, and one coarse ceramic jug.
One of the large amphorae, which was partially broken, still contained a stack of 25 nested skyphoi.
“It allows us to understand what the Greeks were transporting,” said superintendent of the evacuation Barbara Davidde.
The objects are being restored and analysed by the National Superintendence’s restoration laboratory in Taranto.
“We have a rich submerged cultural heritage that still needs to be studied, safeguarded, and valued,” said Italian Minister of Culture Darío Franceschini.
“The recent investigations of the Otranto Strait confirm that it is a very rich heritage, capable of giving us back not just the treasures hidden in our seas, but even our history.”
Source: Archaeology News Network
