A diver was simply swimming through the Mediterranean Sea when an ancient shipwreck came into sight.
Ancient Roman Shipwreck
According to Live Science, archaeologists knew about the wreck. However, given how the shipwreck was covered with sand, these archaeologists did not know exactly where it was situated. Recent storms may have aided the cargo's exposure. This was noted by Koby Sharvit, the director of the Israel Antiquities Authority's (IAA) underwater archaeology unit.
Newsweek reports that the haul contained roughly 44 tons of artifacts, which were, more specifically, architectural pieces made of marble that date back to the Roman era.
Considering the architectural elements' size, archaeologists projected the merchant ship's size. Sharvit notes that the ship could have carried cargo that weighed at least 200 tons. Live Science notes that this is roughly equivalent to almost 30 male adult African elephants.
Upon looking into the remains' angles and positions, the archaeologists inferred that they may have experienced storms in shallow areas. The crew could have then dropped their anchor to desperately stop the ship from grounding.
Sharvit notes that these types of storms tend to suddenly surface along the coast of the country. He adds that because of the limitations of the ship's maneuvering potential, these structures tend to get dragged and shipwrecked.
44 Tons of Marble Blocks
The Times of Israel notes that the 44 tons of marble blocks could have been aboard a ship that was supposedly traveling towards a Roman port to unload this cargo. The ship's destination could have been Gaza or Ashkelon.
The cargo included Corinthian columns coated with intricate vegetal patterns and marble columns that were roughly 20 feet long.
The IAA reportedly noted in a statement that it is the oldest cargo of its kind to have been found across the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Sharvit told the Times of Israel that the marble was most likely from Greece or Turkey.
Based on historical Roman sources and architectural typography, the archaeologists have dated these findings to the middle part of the second century CE.
The cargo's discovery helps end a long-standing historical debate about whether the marble was finished and formed before it was shipped out or when it was placed in the building area. Sharvit notes that the findings evidently demonstrate that the elements left the quarrying site in their primary raw form or as partially crafted artifacts. They would have been further furnished at the actual building site by artisans or artists who were local or who were brought from other countries.
The team has already recovered some specimens and sent them over to a laboratory for further analysis. The IAA will also be launching further underwater excavations with University of Rhode Island students. These excavations are to be conducted with the hope that waterlogged wood or nearby sand dunes may be spotted.
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