Roman shipwreck and thousands of amphorae uncovered off Sicily

Italian divers working off the western coast of Sicily have located a Roman shipwreck dating to the first or second century B.C., along with a substantial assemblage of amphorae. The wreck was discovered about three miles from Mazara del Vallo, the Ministry of Culture said.

Alessandro Giuli, Italy's minister of culture, called the find "one of the most important underwater archaeological discoveries of recent years."

The Ministry released video showing divers swimming over rows of the clay jars, which were used in antiquity to store wine, olive oil and other commodities. Fisherman Giacomo De Mola, who was part of the sonar survey that first detected the site, said the mass initially appeared to be a rock until a closer inspection revealed the extensive pile of amphorae.

The Sicilian Region’s Superintendency of the Sea, which manages marine archaeological sites, has been notified. Preliminary measurements indicate the amphorae deposit measures roughly 70 feet in length, 20 feet in width and more than six feet in height.