Science
CROSS-SPECTRUM
Ancient 2,100-year-old tableware and coins recovered from shipwreck off Antalya
Archaeologists have retrieved well-preserved ceramic dishes and first-century BCE Antioch coins from a sunken vessel near Adrasan, Turkey.
The wreck, likely departing from Arsuz and bound for Rome, yielded hundreds of plates and bowls that survived thanks to clay padding placed between them in wooden crates. Coins minted in Antioch dating to the first century BCE were also uncovered. The find highlights a trade route linking Antioch, the Aegean, Greece and the Italian coast around that period. Ongoing underwater excavations are being conducted with robotic assistance.
Why it matters
The find sheds light on ancient Mediterranean trade and preservation methods, enriching our understanding of early commerce.
In this story
ancient shipwreckceramic tablewareclay paddingfirst century BCE coinsMediterranean tradeunderwater archaeologyrobotic excavation
