Italian diver uncovers Roman-era amphorae cache off Sicily

A diver exploring waters three miles off Mazara del Vallo in southwestern Sicily encountered a submerged structure that turned out to be a pile of ancient clay vessels. Sonar initially identified the anomaly as a rock, but low visibility did not deter the diver, Giacomo de Mola, who later described the find as the most significant of his career.

The assemblage consists of hundreds of amphorae, the containers used by Greeks, Romans and Phoenicians for transporting goods, arranged in a mound roughly six feet high and extending about 70 feet in length. The Ministry of Culture confirmed the site as one of the most important recent underwater archaeological discoveries, suggesting it originates from a Roman shipwreck dating back roughly two millennia.

Authorities were alerted after de Mola contacted a specialist, leading to an official inspection that verified the historical importance of the find.