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Headline: RAW VIDEO: Italian police discover astonishingly preserved 'secret' Roman shipwreck in Ionian Sea
Caption: Italian police discovered the wreck of an ancient Roman cargo ship lying on the seabed off the coast of southern Italy - a find they kept secret for months over fears looters would go after its treasures. Dozens of amphorae are still preserved on the wreck, which was found during a routine patrol near the town of Gallipoli, in the Apulia region. Experts believe the vessel dates from the late Roman period, possibly around the 4th Century AD. The ship is thought to have sailed from North Africa and to have been carrying garum – a fermented fish sauce that was a staple of Roman cuisine and an important traded commodity. The sauce was transported in ceramic amphorae, many of which remain visible on the seabed. In a statement, the GdF said they had, "identified the remains of a large Roman-era ship that was unabissed in the waters of the Ionian Sea." The discovery was made in June last year when the Guardia di Finanza, Italy’s financial and customs police, were carrying out a routine maritime patrol in the Ionian Sea, on the edge of the Gulf of Taranto. Officers noticed an unusual anomaly on the seafloor using onboard detection equipment and decided to investigate further. Divers were sent down to examine the site and confirmed the presence of a large Roman oneraria – a merchant ship designed to transport bulk goods across the Mediterranean. Archaeological authorities were alerted soon afterwards. Italian officials say the wreck is exceptionally well preserved, with parts of the hull still intact alongside a largely undisturbed cargo. Following the discovery, the area was placed under continuous but discreet surveillance to ensure the site remained protected. A strict confidentiality agreement was put in place between police and cultural heritage authorities while the importance of the find was assessed. Oversight has been coordinated by the regional archaeology authority responsible for the provinces of Brindisi, Lecce and Taranto. That period of secrecy has now ended after Italy’s Superior Council for Cultural Heritage approved funding of €780,000 (£670,000) to support a full scientific investigation and long-term protection of the site. In the coming months, archaeologists will begin a detailed, non-invasive survey of the wreck. Using photogrammetry and laser scanning, researchers plan to create a precise three-dimensional digital model of the ship and its cargo. This will allow the site to be studied in detail without disturbing it. The amphorae and the structure of the ship will then be analysed to identify production areas, trade routes and shipbuilding techniques used during the late Roman Empire. Any markings or inscriptions could provide further clues about the movement of goods across the Mediterranean. Only at a later stage will officials decide whether some of the amphorae should be recovered for conservation and possible public display. For now, archaeologists describe the Gallipoli wreck not as a buried treasure, but as a rare underwater archive that could offer new insight into Roman trade, diet and daily life nearly 1,600 years ago.
Keywords: feature,video,photo,culture,rome,archaeology
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