The Ilovik–Paržine 1 wreck was first discovered in 2016 and excavated over several seasons. Lying just four meters below the surface, the site preserved fragments of amphorae, ballast stones, and sections of the wooden hull.

Radiocarbon dating and cargo analysis confirmed its age at around 170 BC, placing it firmly within the Roman Republic period—a time of expanding maritime trade across the Mediterranean.

Impression of a Roman freighter

In the case of Ilovik–Paržine 1, researchers found that the hull had been coated both inside and out with a thick organic layer.

Chemical analysis revealed that the primary ingredient was pine-derived pitch, produced by heating conifer wood under low-oxygen conditions. This process creates a sticky, water-resistant substance that has been used in shipbuilding for millennia.

This study highlights a shift in archaeological research. Instead of focusing solely on visible structures wood and cargo, scientists are now extracting information from microscopic and chemical traces.

By integrating molecular science with environmental data, researchers can reconstruct trade routes, technological choices, and even cultural exchanges.

For example, the presence of beeswax in one sample may reflect influence from Greek shipbuilding traditions, which were well established in southern Italy during the Roman Republic.

In other words, the ship’s coating is not just a technical feature—it is evidence of knowledge transfer across ancient maritime networks.

A New Frontier in Naval Archaeology
The Ilovik–Paržine 1 study demonstrates how interdisciplinary science is reshaping our understanding of the past.

Traditional archaeology might identify a ship’s origin and cargo. But this approach goes further—revealing how the ship was built, maintained, and adapted over time.

It turns a static wreck into a dynamic object with a life history.

And in doing so, it reminds us that even something as simple as a layer of tar can carry the imprint of ancient innovation, trade, and survival at sea.

• Charrie-Duhaut A, Couillebault Q, Miholjek I and Boetto G (2026).
  Adhesive coatings in naval archaeology: molecular and palynological investigations on materials from the Roman Republican wreck Ilovik–Paržine 1 (Croatia).
  Frontiers in Materials.
  pp 13:1758862.
• Roeline Bos.
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